BRoKen ORaNGeS
by Neko Blue Hydrangea
Summary: Rikuo and Kudo go to a town upon Kakei's request to find an ancient ring. How were they to know it was cursed with a spirit thirsting for bloodthirst? Will Rikuo be able to save Kudo from the curse? Or will Kudo fall to his own insanity? [Complete]
1. Chapter 1

Story Title: BRoKen ORaNGeS

Chapter Title: Chapter One Rattler's Fangs

Rating: PG

Pages: 12

Words: 5, 051

Characters (With Spaces): 28, 037

Paragraphs: 151

Lines: 536

Disclaimer: I do not own Legal Drug or any other related characters.

This story is actually based off a movie I once saw. I don't remember what it was it was a low budget thing, but the plot was interesting so I decided to take it up. The plot is the same, however, everything else, including the characters introduced and the dreams are all my original creations.

Now, on to the story. I really like this one, I think I did well, however it is not up to me to decide. Constructive criticism is welcomed; but nobody likes a flamer. So, please R&R, and read at your own risk.

* * *

"_Cause when push comes to shove,_

_You taste what you're made of,_

_You might bend 'till you break,_

_Cause it's all you can take,_

_On your knees you look up,_

_Decide you've had enough,_

_You get mad, you get strong,_

_Wipe your hands shake it off,_

_Then you stand."_

-Rascal Flats

* * *

Something so small, such a tiny little thing, can have enough power to control a person's will. Masking itself with a pretty exterior of a silver ring, it was not at all a beautiful artifact, but instead something made of an evil substance, curling around the person's finger and taking over their soul. Uttering three simple words it would cast its spell, and catch you in its grip, the person uttering those words now in complete control.

Of course, Kakei did not inform the two of this. He simply told them that he had a new side job for the pair, and that they were to obtain the Constriction Ring for his client. He was glad for Kazahaya's naivety, for that was what allowed him to get what he wanted from the two teens (aided by Kazahaya's urgent need for money).However, he can not say he did not warn them, for prior to them heading out he had gave them one of those icy grins of his and simply let his eyes do all the talking.

Now the two had gone to the city of Hyoga, a minute friendly place which was one of those neighborhoods where everyone knew each other. The houses were unusually small and brightly colored, looking inviting, and a little unnerving, they were also very similar to the ones next to them. The only places that did not look the same were the markets, which were only larger in size and differently colored, though still bright and friendly.

The two teens took a bus there with small suit-cases, seeing as they had been informed that they were going to be staying at this town for a couple days, maybe even closer to a week. Kakei then informed that they already had a motel room assigned at the "Rattler's Fangs." At the station they met Hirotsuzu, who had been heading in the same direction, and lead the two to the front of the motel before leaving to do her own thing.

"It's kind of eerie..." Kazahaya muttered to himself, refraining himself from shivering. He was looking directly at the motels sign, which had a bleeding heart being constricted by a rattlesnake. Though Kazahaya had never been much of a snake fearing person, the sign looked so vivid that it almost made him regret asking around to find it.

"Don't like snakes?" Rikou asked, glancing at Kazahaya and sensing his reaction to the sign. His cold eyes searched him over before a grin spread across his face. "Are you **phallophobic?**"

Kazahaya's eyes widened at Rikou's statement. "Wha!?" He cried, before blushing a deep scarlet. "You **asshole!**"

Rikou only snickered at Kazahaya's only comeback. The lightly-colored boy had been too flustered to come up with anything better, which only made him look even cuter in Rikou's opinion. He never got enough out of teasing Kazahaya (until he got a headache caused by Kudo-kun's yelling of course).

However, causing a scene in the middle of a town full of bustling people was not Rikou's idea of a first impression, and though he would have loved to tease the smaller boy some more, he decided to leave the flustered teen and head into the motel. Kazahaya fumed at the taller boys back, cursing colorfully in his head and calling him all sorts of decorative names, before following him inside.

Inside the main building they found a small desk and a large man sitting behind it. The man was shaped like a ball and was wearing haggard over-alls and a t-shirt. He was currently engrossed in a book until the bell rang as the front door opened and alerted him of the two's entrance. The nearly-bald man smiled when he saw them with his tobacco stained teeth, closing his book and sitting straight.

"Hello! How may I help you two?"

Rikou took the initiative. "We already have a room booked?"

"Ah!" The man replied. "You must have been sent by Sôhi-san!" He grinned and stood up, reaching for the nailed up sets of keys behind him, and handed Rikou one with a tag that read 'room 13.'

"That room is the very last one on the left side." The man informed before sitting back down and getting engrossed in his book again. Rikou nodded in acknowledgement before heading out of the room, Kazahaya following him close behind, too afraid of the man behind the desk in order to ask for his own room.

Rikou walked along the elongated porch of the motel, passing rooms on one side and small under-developed cars on the other. Indeed the last room was room 13, and it was all the way on the left of the stretch of the small amount of land occupied by the motel. He fumbled and jingled with the keys before unlocking the door.

Kazahaya stepped inside as Rikou fought with the keys, for they had gotten stuck in the key lock of the door knob. Obviously the room had not been used very recently considering the key's had done so.

The room inside was gloomy, with a small white bathroom, a small fridge on one side, a small dresser for clothes, and one small bed. At first it went unnoticed, both the men (by then Rikou had pulled out the keys and shut the door behind him) looking around the bland room with curiosity, before Kazahaya's curious nature dimmed due to the void of emotion from the undecorated mood and set his eyes on the bed.

The covers were just as gray, however it was still a bed, and Kazahaya dropped his suit-case and flopped down on it. "Ah…!" He sighed happily.

"Not really my idea of a room." Rikou commented as he placed his suit-case on the table and began to unpack his toiletries and clothes. "It's musty."

Kazahaya however had his mind on something else. "That strange man behind that desk had said 'Sôhi-san' had reserved the room for us… Who's Sôhi-san?"

Rikou glanced at the blonde man on the bed, annoyed that the younger teen hadn't been listening. However, he had a valid point, so he couldn't blame Kazahaya for wondering about it. "These jobs are supposed to be confidential. It's probably Kakei's alias."

"Oh…" Kazahaya muttered in response. "That makes sense."

Rikou snickered. "You **forgot** about that didn't you?"

Kazahaya sat up and growled at the taller man, his cheeks flushing pink. "I did not!"

Rikou only snickered some more and continued to unpack his stuff. Kazahaya fumed to himself and had to refrain from throwing something at him (seeing as there was nothing within reach for him to throw anyway). He turned to side, giving Rikou the cold shoulder, and listened to him walk around the room, putting clothes in the dresser and his toothbrush in the bathroom.

"Hey idiot, are you asleep?" He heard Rikou call after his foot falls thudded from the bathroom and toward his bed.

"No!" Kazahaya answered, sitting up to glare at him. "And I'm **not** an idiot!"

Rikou was obviously surprised that Kazahaya had answered him. The two had arrived late in the evening, and Kazahaya was the type who fell asleep as soon as it got dark outside if it was permitted. And by the time they had reached the room the sun had set and night was starting to fall. Surely, with the two being far away from the Green Drug Store, Kazahaya should have caught up on some extra sleep by now.

Kazahaya was glaring at him expectantly, and when Rikou said nothing he got annoyed. "What do you want!?" He growled out impatiently.

Rikou had nothing to say really, so he said the most obvious thing. "You're taking up the whole bed." He said bluntly. It may have been obvious to him, but it was not obvious to Kazahaya.

"What?" Kazahaya said in confusion, before noticing that the room only held one bed. "ARGH!" He shouted, jumping up from it as though the bed was a vile creation. "What do we do!? There's only **one** bed!"

Rikou smirked and leaned in toward Kazahaya's face, mere inches away from his mouth. "We could share it."

"PERVERT!" Kazahaya shouted, pulling sharply away from the other man. His face flushed, betraying his anger.

Rikou had expected the reaction, but not the twinge of pain in his head as Kazahaya did so. "Keep it down!" He scowled cringing as pain pulsed in his temple. He crawled into bed and pulled the covers over himself. "You're giving me a headache."

Kazahaya fumed to himself as he grabbed his suit-case and headed for the bathroom. He undressed himself and got into his pajamas (which were really baggy clothes he owned which he dubbed pajamas) and brushed his teeth, before tossing the suit-case onto the table by the dresser, all the while cursing the older teen in his head.

He headed towards the bed and hesitated, wondering if it was the best idea to get in the bed with the other man. He decided that the floor was not really a better option (besides, Rikou now had the only blanket) and blushed as he got into the bed with Rikou, facing away from him. Being as exhausted as he was from traveling and working the day before, he fell asleep almost instantly when his head hit the pillow.

* * *

_She was running, as fast as her legs could carry her. A bright young woman, obviously an accomplished one for she wore jewelry only a woman with plenty of money could own, a dress made of the finest silks and colors, made perfectly to every stitch, and expensive high heels. Her long hair flowed behind her like cascading ribbons, the color of a golden hay field. _

_She was running down a long bridge, resting above a wide river, trying to get as far away from the city of trees behind her as she could. Her blue eyes, as beautiful as they were, were filled with an unspeakable terror. And her movements were that of distress, and it was obvious that her veins were being pumped with the urge to escape._

"_Why do you run my sweet?" Rang a voice echoing through out the gloomy bridge. "Won't you stay with me?"_

_The woman seemed to become even more frightened, and she tripped over something on the ground. She turned over and scrambled away from the city of trees, emerging from them a tall dark figure. She continued to scramble as the dark figure approached her, a long scythe in its hands._

"_My pet, what are you so **afraid** of?" It asked._

_The woman continued to scramble frantically, now covered in sweat and a strand of hair falling over her right eye. "Please…" She begged. "Please just let me go!" She cried, tears falling from her cerulean eyes._

_The black figure said nothing and instead raised the scythe, preparing to strike. "You have been a very bad girl." It said. Something silver glinted off of one of the hands of the figure as it was raised into the sunlight with the scythe, before the scythe was brought down upon the girl in front of it._

Kazahaya woke up with a start, panting heavily and sweat pouring off his forehead. He glanced around him, looking for the girl in his dreams, or maybe the dark figure with the scythe. It took him mere moments to figure out that it had simply been a dream, and that no such murderous thing was any where near him.

He sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. "Aw… man…" He moaned. He had dreams before, even bad ones, but never before had he had a dream like that! It was unnerving, and he found that when he lay back down and closed his eyes again, he couldn't get back to sleep, the black figure and the scythe flashing before his closed eyes.

He rolled over on to his back and sighed, his hand resting on his forehead, before glancing at the clock. It was nearly dawn, and he decided to get up. He headed for the bathroom and undressed himself, starting the shower, the warm water hitting his skin and not only cleaning him, but calming his nerves. He then got dressed, brushed his teeth and fixed his hair, before proceeding to finish unpacking.

By the time he was done the sun had come up, and Rikou had started to mumble and move around in his bed, about to wake. Kazahaya sat at the small table by the dresser and sat patiently, waiting for him to wake, his gaze distant and resting out the window. His mind had wondered back to his dream, wondering where it had come from, and what exactly had it meant.

"You're awake?" Rikou asked suddenly, causing Kazahaya to jump with a yelp.

He turned toward the older teen, whom was looking at him suspiciously, and blushed. "I couldn't sleep." He muttered in reply.

Rikou said nothing and got up from the bed while stretching. He too headed for the bathroom, took a shower, and proceeded to get ready for the day. He preferred not to confront Kazahaya about his nightmare, for indeed he had heard him muttering and thrashing in the bed, for **who** could sleep in the same bed with that?

He had sat in bed and listened to Kazahaya get up and get ready for the day, and waited until he was sure that the other teen was comfortable with his nerves before deciding to pretend to get up. He then offered a chance for the teen to tell him about it, but Kazahaya didn't take it, therefore he figured that whatever the nightmare was, it must have been small and well, to put it simply, silly enough to be ignored.

It took him less time to get ready then Kazahaya for he had unpacked last night, and by the time he exited the bathroom fully dressed it was early morning. Kazahaya was still sitting at the table, a lost expression on his face, and Rikou grunted in order to get his attention.

It worried him the Kazahaya was so silent, and so he came up with a question he knew would get Kazahaya back into his normal spirits. "In the mood for breakfast?" And without waiting for an answer he opened the door and headed outside.

"Hey!" Kazahaya shouted. "Wait for me, asshole!" He growled as he followed him and slammed the door shut. Rikou smirked being glad that his plan had worked and locked the door. Shortly after he pocketed the keys and followed after the teen who was stomping off in front of him.

* * *

Breakfast was a bit unnerving for Kazahaya, considering that everything seemed opposite. Rikou sat with him at breakfast, and though he didn't say grace as was expected from him, he did not pick up a newspaper. The two had walked by a considerable amount of people selling them, he had had every opportunity to pick one up, and yet he hadn't. It surprised Kazahaya, but at the same time, though he liked the change of pace, it kind of worried him.

The two were now presently waiting for their orders to arrive, and even without a newspaper it was deathly silent. At least when the two were at home Kazahaya could distract himself from the silence by concentrating on cooking breakfast for them, but here it seemed to scream at him until it echoed in his ears.

"So…" Kazahaya muttered, blushing a little. The thick silence bothered him and speaking out like that made the air around them seem crack. "Did you rest well?"

Rikou looked over him with his cold eyes. "Yes." He answered after a long interval, creating another crack in the glass box of silence around them. "It seemed like you didn't."

Kazahaya looked surprised. Did Rikou know about his strange nightmare? "What do you mean?"

"You were thrashing and groaning in your sleep." Rikou smirked playfully, and Kazahaya blushed automatically, knowing a crude comment was coming. "You must have been dreaming about something **real **good if it made you **moan** like that!"

The glass box shattered. "I was not dreaming about **that!**" Kazahaya shouted defensively.

Rikou's smirk only seemed to grow in size and intensify to the point that it almost looked malicious. "I bet you it has something to do with a big,hard,** snake**."

"Pervert!" Kazahaya shouted, catching the attention of the tables surrounding them. His cheeks had turned so dark in color that his blush almost looked purple. "It had nothing to with any of that!"

Rikou snickered at the way Kazahaya's face turned color, succeeding in making the younger teen glare darkly at him. "Don't laugh at me, jerk off! Especially when you're the pervert!" He shouted, nearly jumping to his feet and pointing at him.

Rikou noticed the attention Kazahaya was attracting and decided to use it to his advantage. "Don't say that, dear. Now calm down and let's talk this over sexually."

"WHAT!?" Kazahaya shouted in pure horror, his face paling to the color of snow and then switching back to the ripe maroon color when he registered what Rikou had said and the looks he was getting from the surrounding tables. "YOU-!"

"Oops… I mean sensibly." Rikou interrupted, feigning embarrassment. He snickered after word.

Kazahaya opened his mouth to shout something at Rikou, probably a new adjective which he would make up by combing Rikou's name and some censorship, when a large tan hand covered his mouth. Kazahaya panicked and struggled, for whoever had caught him was not Rikou, for Rikou was looking at the person who grabbed him with an expression on his face Kazahaya had never seen before.

The mystery person whispered loud enough for Kazahaya's to hear with a musical voice. Gentle and heartwarming, it would have calmed him down if the stranger hadn't of grabbed him from behind and instead **greeted** him like most **normal** people do!

"Shh… You shouldn't cause such a scene in this place." The person let Kazahaya go, and the young teen breathed deeply before turning on the stranger, ready to yell at him. However, the man standing behind him took Kazahaya's breath away.

He was tall, like Rikou, and strongly built, just a little less then Rikou. He sported a sweat shirt which looked much too big for him and low rider jeans which revealed the rim of his boxers. His chestnut hair stood in every direction, looking wild and untamed, and all in all giving the man an almost breezy, daredevil appearance. Out of all these things though, his deep warm eyes held Kazahaya's own with a steady gaze, and they seemed to smile at him, reflecting the smile on the man's face in the same moment.

"My name is James." The man said, holding out his hand. "James Fletcher."

Kazahaya took James' hand and shook it, still a bit in shock over the person who had grabbed him. However he did regain his composure in time to notice the violent contrast of his pale skin against James' caramel skin. "Kudo Kazahaya."

"Correct me if I'm wrong…" James said, letting go of Kazahaya's hand and retracting it to rest at his side. "I'm from America. I learned how to speakJapanese there, but not much else… here in Japan it is the last name first, first name last, right?"

Kazahaya tilted his head to the side a bit. It made sense, considering he didn't look like he came from Japan. He suddenly became intrigued and excited about meeting a student from America. "Yes. That's right."

James smiled a smile that was friendly enough that it could probably melt any defensive door ranging from someone blocking their secrets to a secret vault filled with cash. "Then I would be Fletcher James instead of James Fletcher!"

James then turned to Rikou, who prior to this had jumped to his feet glaring at James for grabbing Kazahaya from behind. (No one grabbed **his **Kazahaya like that but **him!**) Now he was sitting at the table again, reassured that Kazahaya was in no immediate danger, and looking bored, casting James a suspicious look one in a while.

"That's Himura Rikou." Kazahaya said automatically. "Ignore him though, he's a jerk."

James laughed quietly. "Oh! I see. Well, it's nice to meet you Himura-san." He said, bowing politely. He then turned back to Kazahaya with a large grin on his face. "Sorry about grabbing you from behind, but you were disrupting everyone's breakfast!"

Kazahaya glanced around and noticed that everyone had been staring at him. He blushed in embarrassment and scratched the back of his neck while laughing nervously. "Guess I should have lowered my voice a bit."

"I'll say." Rikou replied from the table succeeded in getting Kazahaya's fur to stand on end.

James laughed gaily in order to distract the two from what he could see was an inevitable fight, before inviting himself to sit at the table. Kazahaya watched him with surprise before returning to his seat while Rikou only glared at James, the thoughts going through his head now turning a bit murderous for imposing on the two companions.

"So…" Kazahaya started again, intrigued but also trying to be polite. "What's it like in America?"

James smiled at him with that trustworthy smile. "Not much different from here." He answered. "Except the food there isn't as…" James trailed off in order to think of something to describe Japanese food to the two teens.

"Salty?" Kazahaya asked innocently.

"Actually, I was leaning toward fishy." James replied. "But Salty works too."

"Rice-y." Kazahaya added.

"Oh yes! That's perfect! Did you know Japan, as well as the rest of Asia, exports 80 of the world's rice!"

Kazahaya's eyes widened in shock. "Wow…! That's amazing!"

Rikou was obviously annoyed by the pleasant chit-chat, and he turned toward James with a hostile glare. "Why did you impose on our breakfast again?"

Kazahaya bristled at Rikou's rude comment and blunt tone, but James only smiled. "To show you around of course! You guys **are** new here, neh?"

"We don't need a guide. We can find our way around jus-"

"That would be very nice of you, Fletcher-san!"

Rikou glared daggers at Kazahaya for interrupting, and Kazahaya simply smiled smugly, feeling triumphant for causing Rikou to look that way. James however, was oblivious to all of this.

"Why the formalities? Call me James." His smile seemed to get wider. "And sure, I'll give you a tour, but only if I can call you Kudo-kun."

"You got yourself a deal!" Kazahaya said enthusiastically.

Rikou could feel himself getting angry, the small little meter in his head slowly filling up. He knew that whatever was to happen in the near future was going to fill that meter, and by the end of that night, he had no doubt that it would probably burst. Either that or he would have a headache.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" James said, getting to his feet.

Kazahaya joined him, stabbing the air with a joyful punch as he did so. "This is going to be so much fun!" He cried, feeling himself getting excited. He turned back at Rikou and beckoned him to follow before heading out the door after James. "Come on Rikou!"

Rikou stood and followed them, but not because he chose too, but because he didn't trust James. He had a feeling something was off about that man, and Rikou was sure that something bad was going to happen with Kazahaya concerning him. He didn't know what it was at the moment, but he was determined to figure it out before anything got out of hand.

* * *

"Mmm… Num! It's **so** good!" Kazahaya said happily before taking another bite of the caramel covered apple in his hand, swinging the small bag full of spare ones (for later) in his hand gaily as he walked in front of Rikou. "You should try one Rikou!"

When the smaller teen glanced back at Rikou, he found him scowling at the world. All night he had been acting like this, and Kazahaya couldn't figure out why. Though, if he had been in Rikou's shoes and had been forced to watch his person of desire flirting and having fun with some stranger with an ulterior motive, he probably would have been scowling at the world as well.

"Seesh… Stop being such a sour puss." Kazahaya mumbled. In truth he was a little worried. Usually Rikou was emotionless, though he would occasionally show off something that resembled anger, and seeing Rikou so upset over something caused Kazahaya to become upset himself.

Rikou growled something incoherent and it made Kazahaya's pointed stare turn into something more of a look of concern. Usually when Rikou became slightly upset about something, trying to lighten the mood by acting the way Rikou wanted him to would make it better. But for some reason Rikou had become really upset, and he had no idea how to handle it.

The two walked back to their apartment in a tense silence, Kazahaya munching on his apple quietly, and Rikou withdrawing into himself. By the time they made it to room 13 the sun had set, and Rikou fumbled over the keys while musing about a day being lost to him self. Once again, Kazahaya fleeted past him and he fought with the door to get the keys out, resisting the urge to just break the doorknob.

When he finally got the keys out he slammed the door shut behind him and threw the keys onto the table. With an angry sigh he collapsed onto the bed and ran a hand through his hair, forgetting that Kazahaya was still in the same room and watching his every move timidly.

Okay… So maybe Rikou was really, **really **upset? Kazahaya tip-toed over to the bed and crawled over it, kneeling beside Rikou, looking at him with a hint of concern but mostly curiosity. He wanted to know what had made Rikou so upset, but more importantly, he wanted to know **why **he had become so upset.

"Rikou…?" He said softly, trying to get the older teens attention.

Rikou turned his head to look at him with those cold gray eyes of his, looking expectantly at Kazahaya, and that's when it dawned on the younger teen. Of course he couldn't ask what the matter was. It would reveal that he cared about Rikou instead of hating him like he always told the bear. So instead he asked the only question he could think of.

"Want a bite?" He asked, gesturing toward his half eaten caramel apple.

Rikou blinked. Was Kazahaya trying to cheer him up? Though Kazahaya had tried to hide it with a mask, his large amber eyes revealed all that he wanted to say, and Rikou couldn't help but feel relieved that Kazahaya was worrying about him. But at the same time it made him want to put even more distance between the two, for showing concern over someone meant attachment. Frankly, Rikou wasn't sure if he was ready for some more attachment because of what had happened with Tsukiko.

Kazahaya waited patiently, obviously waiting for Rikou to answer, and though he didn't want any attachment, he didn't want rejection to be part of the menu either. That would mean being alone again, and at least with Kazahaya, for the time being, he wasn't alone anymore.

"Do you have another one?" Rikou asked, sitting up.

Kazahaya let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Yeah! James bought me a whole bunch!" He hopped off the bed and ran over to the bag he had placed on the dresser, pulled out another caramel apple, and headed back over to the bed. He handed it to Rikou with a large grin on his face. "You'll really like it!"

Rikou opened the plastic tipi that covered it and hesitated before taking a bite. Kazahaya watched him closely, like a cat does its prey, as Rikou chewed slowly, analyzing the taste. A few moments later he swallowed and turned to Kazahaya, surprised to find him anxious to hear what he had to say.

"It's good I guess."

"Ha! See! Didn't I tell you it was good!?" Kazahaya said in triumph, looking smug.

Rikou looked amused. "Aw shuddap and get ready for bed kitty."

Kazahaya glared at him. "My name isn't kitty!"

Rikou put his caramel apple back in the box and got up to put it in the small refrigerator before pulling off his shirt. "Do you need some warm milk and a bedtime story?"

"Bastard! I'm not a kid!"

Rikou ignored him as he pulled on some trousers he could sleep in and crawled into bed, nearly shoving Kazahaya off the bed. "I'm trying to sleep."

"You don't deserve to sleep!" Kazahaya shouted, stomping away from the bed and slamming the bathroom door shut.

"Good night to you too," Rikou muttered when Kazahaya was out of ear-shot, knowing full well that that was what Kazahaya had wanted to say to him as well. Soon after he let him self fall asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Story Title: BRoKen ORaNGeS

Chapter Title: Chapter Two Collective Citrus

Rating: PG

Pages: 10

Words: 3,732

Characters (With Spaces): 20, 519

Paragraphs: 134

Lines: 434

Disclaimer: I do not own Legal Drug or any other related characters

Chapter two for you guys. I hope it's a good as the last one. Once again, constructive criticism is welcomed, but nobody likes a flamer. So, please R&R, and read at your own risk.

* * *

_The blond haired young woman walked briskly, her high heels clicking on the ground, as she sipped idly at her coffee in the Styrofoam cup. She excited the train station with her luggage, prepared for the long grueling hours it would take for her to finance her client and his orchard of fruit. He had wanted to run a business open to the public involving the trees, and she was there now in order to help him pick out a candidate financer._

_She headed for the nearest motel, which her boss explained that there was already a room booked for her. The last one on the left, number 13, looking brand new and smelling refreshed. She opened the door easily and walked into the room, her eyes scanning it curiously. _

_Its walls were bright and cheery, colored and decorated like polka dots of blossoms. The bed sheets were warm and inviting, and beside the bed side table was a phone and a sign that held all the possible numbers she could call, plus a phonebook. A dresser was located on the other side of the room, the color of red cedar and finished to perfection._

_The woman sighed happily as she entered the room and tossed her luggage on the floor while flopping down on the bed, which resembled closely to a soft cloud. This job was proving to be relaxing, and she was sure that she was going to like this type of laid back place, and with tranquility in her veins she fell asleep instantly._

_Waking up early, the woman made a quick cell phone call to her client before getting ready and heading out to the agreed meeting area. There she saw her client waiting for her at the table, a tall tan man who was slightly built. However, his face was dark and looked ominous, his eyes only shadows of what they should be._

_The woman sat opposite him, crossing her legs and lifting up a folder of paperwork. "So… You own an orchard, Mr. Cain?"_

"_Yes." The man replied, smiling almost maliciously._

"_And you want me to get you a financer?" She asked again, opening up the folder and beginning to scan the paperwork inside it._

"_Now, now…" Mr. Cain said. "Let's not rush this. Why not order some breakfast and enjoy it before talking business?"_

_The woman looked up at him curiously before closing the folder. "Very well."_

"_What shall I call you, Miss?" The man asked her curiously._

_The woman picked up her menu idly. "Hirotsuzu." She replied bluntly, flipping through the menu and occasionally leaning in closer to get a better description on the options of food._

_It was silent for a long while, even after the two ordered Hirotsuzu with some pancakes and Mr. Cain with some eggs, hash browns, and bacon. Mr. Cain simply stared at Hirotsuzu thoughtfully and Hirotsuzu opened the folder up again in order to avoid his intensifying stare._

"_Say… Hirotsuzu-san…?" Mr. Cain asked, making Hirotsuzu look up at him. "Would you like to come and look at my orchard? It is a truly wondrous sight."_

_Hirotsuzu looked thoughtful and stopped looking through the folder. She ignored the waitress as she placed their food on the table and muttered. Finally she smiled warmly and moved the folder back into her brief case._

"_I would love too!"_

"…ahaya!"

Kazahaya's eyes opened slowly and he found himself looking into Rikou's face. Puzzled, his foggy mind obviously still not entirely thinking straight, he reached up and touched it with his hand. However, within the second Rikou had to react Kazahaya had fully awoken and pushed Rikou's head away from him.

"What the hell?" Kazahaya asked, rubbing at his eyes and sitting up straight. He then remembered that Rikou had awoken him early this morning to catch a bus because Kakei had texted a location on to his cell phone. He had followed him groggily, and the rest of his memory of what happened was a large abyss.

"You fell asleep on me." Rikou answered. "And we're at our stop."

"Oh." Kazahaya couldn't really compete with that, so without another word he followed Rikou off the bus.

Apparently the location that this weird job would start in was a museum, of course, that isn't usually where it ended. The museum was a large three story building, brightly colored like the rest of the town, with a rock out front dedicated to the owner of the museum. As the two teens headed for the front door the rock caught Kazahaya's eye, for dedicated on it was the owner's name, and the owners name was _Mr. Cain._

Kazahaya stared at it in wonder, awe, and fear. He hoped that this Mr. Cain wasn't the same one in his dreams, yet he also hoped it was for maybe it was a clue to finding the ring. Then again, would he really want to get involved with someone from his dreams?

Anywho, it wasn't getting him anywhere staring at a rock, and though Rikou had turned and patiently waited for him, he was beginning to get impatient. Kazahaya had taken a half of a step toward the older teen when a familiar voice rang out from behind him. Kazahaya's face lit up in recognition and he turned around quickly. "James!"

"Kudo-kun! I knew that was you!" James replied, striding over to him.

Rikou approached and stood beside Kazahaya protectively. It was just his luck that James had decided to go to the museum too. He scowled at him only long enough for three seconds to pass before noticing a young woman was clicking her way up from behind James on high heels.

Strangely enough, tagging along was a petite woman with long black hair and green eyes. She looked about as old as James and she boasted a very full figure for someone so dainty and graceful (and she knew how to compliment it well with a skin tight, thigh high, slim black dress). She was a natural beauty, with fair skin and full lips. Rikou knew right away that she was all woman, and she was no novice in using the woman card to get what she wanted, and would not hesitate to do so.

Kazahaya seemed unfazed by the sexy woman in front of him. "Who's this?"

James grinned. "My sister, Luna. Luna, this is Kudo-kun and Himura-san."

Luna looked over Kazahaya and Rikou with her curious and magnetic eyes for a moment, the lack of response almost reaching the point of being rude. She smiled mischievously and pointed to Rikou and then pack to Kazahaya. "You two are lovers, neh?"

Kazahaya seemed to pale and James laughed at it. "I wouldn't judge them so quickly."

Luna pouted. "But… It's as clear as daylight!" She gestured toward Kazahaya, (who's brain was now officially broken). "He looks like a woman for Pete's sake!"

This made Rikou snicker. "I like her already."

Luna grinned at him flirtatiously, however didn't say anything. She had sensed Kazahaya's uneasiness and guessed that either the two were in a fight, or she had been wrong (which she very rarely was). So instead of pursuing the subject she turned toward the museum behind her with boredom etched on her face. "So, am I assuming we are supposed to go in together?"

Kazahaya seemed to return to the situation now that the subject had been changed. "Yeah!"

"It would be fun!" James said happily.

Kazahaya turned toward Rikou questioningly. 'What do you think?' was written all over his face. And though he didn't say anything about badly wanting to go, Rikou knew Kazahaya well enough to know that the hopeful expression he was giving him was the equivalent of him begging to go somewhere or do something really fun, like he was getting permission from his mommy because he knew he couldn't go without it.

Rikou contemplated about glaring and reminding him that they had a job to do, but for some reason the hopeful look on his face made him stop. Too many times had he ruined Kazahaya's fun and too many times it had been because of Kakei's stupid jobs. They both deserved a break, and if Kakei didn't like it then he could screw himself (and the thought of that somehow involving Saiga made a disturbing image in his head so vivid, he wanted to hit his head against something in hopes of passing out).

"Whatever." Rikou responded, crossing his arms and looking away from the group.

Kazahaya smiled when he realized that was the closest he was going to get to an okay that he could from Rikou. "Yay!" He said with a grin when he turned back to James and Luna. "I can't wait to go in!"

James matched Kazahaya's grin. "Come on. I'll show you around." He said, motioning toward the museum.

Luna and Rikou watched silently as the two headed for the museum with idiotic grins on their faces. James was leading Kazahaya by his arm and it was making Rikou feel possessive again. He let out a low growl which made Luna turn to him curiously.

"It's a shame." She said after an interval, making Rikou turn to her.

"Huh?"

"How much you two deny it." Luna said again. A smile was on her face, one of those all-knowing smiles that Kakei used to give which always made Rikou want to tear it off and stomp on it. "I'll bet it's frustrating."

Rikou glared at her. He didn't exactly understand what she was talking about, but it was starting to sound like she was referring to him and Kazahaya. "What?"

"Listen to my words, Rikou. Something dangerous is going to happen and only you will be able to stop it." Without another word, Luna turned from him and headed for the museum.

It occurred to Rikou that the woman had not been joking, for the serious look in her eyes pierced through him. And her words only seemed to make the feeling of dread worse. The thought that she had been lying never even crossed his mind, for how in the world did she know his name when no one told her what it was?

"So… Your Dad owned this?"

"Yeah… He opened an orchard a long time ago, and before he died he built this museum."

Kazahaya paled and turned from the display of wood left over from the fire which had burned down the first wind power fan the town had built. "What?" He asked.

James was looking at the pictures of what the men did in order to build the fan that burned down. He glanced at Kazahaya and cocked an eyebrow at the expression on his face. "I said my father built this museum after opening an orchard."

"Orchard?"

"Yeah. It's called 'Collective Citrus.' It's mostly orange trees, but we have a lot of other fruit trees growing too!"

Kazahaya gulped, the events of his dream flashing before his eyelids with each blink. Normally he didn't see images of the past unless it was a memory, and so it was beginning to worry him that he was having these dreams without recollection of where they came from.

"Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." James stated. He looked Kazahaya up and down, a concerned look on his face. "Do you need to sit down?"

Kazahaya smiled at him reassuringly. "No. I'm okay. Just tired."

Luna tip-toed behind Kazahaya and leaned over his shoulder in order to whisper into his ear. "From a heavy and lustful night of love making?"

Kazahaya's face went from pale to scarlet in nearly no time at all. "W-w-what!?" He turned around sharply, nearly falling over and into James. "No! I n-never-!"

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" Luna waved her finger back and forth to silence him before pressing it against Kazahaya's lips. "Hush! I know that you want him in your pants, so you can stop pretending."

"But I-"

"Didn't I say 'shhh'?"

Kazahaya nodded his head and something glinted off the light in the corner of his eye when he did so. He glanced toward it and noticed a certain case in the middle of the room. Ignoring James and Luna, he headed over to it, and resting in the middle was a replica of a silver ring, with snake scales covering the outside and a single amber gem on it, resembling the snake's eye. It was none other than the Constriction Ring.

James followed Kazahaya and smiled at the look of awe on his face. "Like it? It used to be my fathers."

Kazahaya turned to him. "Your fathers?"

"Yep. The ring was authentic and extremely expensive. This here is just a replica."

Luna stepped in, glaring at Kazahaya from the other side of the display. "It's cursed you know. Makes its wearer insane."

"Cursed?"

"Yes. A young woman died mysteriously while helping our father start out with the orchard business when she found it in the small pond in the middle and put it on her finger. Shortly after she drown herself in the lake."

Kazahaya shivered at the vivid images being put into his head. "So… The ring is haunted?"

Luna exasperated a sigh. "No! Cursed, you fool! Who ever wears the ring goes insane and kills them selves. Weren't you listening?"

"Cursed? Why would anybody curse it?"

Luna shrugged. "All I know is that the curse can be broken, however, I don't precisely know **how** this is done."

Kazahaya looked thoughtful before glancing down at the ring again. He couldn't see why anyone would want to curse such a simple artifact, seeing as it wasn't all that pretty.

"So… Where's the real one?"

Kazahaya jumped at Rikou's sudden voice and turned toward the older teen with a growl, turning pink in embarrassment and anger. "Why do you always sneak up on me like that?"

"Because we all know how much you uke's like surprises!" Luna said with a wink. Kazahaya turned and blinked at her with confusion.

"The ring is in my father's safe. He put it there for safe keeping after finding out about its curse." James answered, ignoring the conversation about Luna explaining to Kazahaya what an uke was (which was making Kazahaya turn all shades of red on the color spectrum).

"Do you think we could study it?" Rikou asked.

"What?"

"Kazahaya and I travel together and research strange artifacts and publish them in books. I was wondering if we could study this ring."

James looked hesitant before answering. "I guess. But if anything happens to you two, don't say I didn't warn you." Rikou nodded which made James smile. "Okay then! But you have to check out the orchard first! It's a truly wondrous sight!"

Kazahaya focused his attention on James when he heard the word orchard, glad for the inviting distraction from the graphic conversation he was having with Luna. "We can eat some of the oranges, neh?"

"Only if you pay." James answered, chuckling when Kazahaya looked downcast. "Just kidding! You can have all you want!"

Kazahaya grinned. "Oh! In that case then I'd love too!"

Rikou growled. Kazahaya was getting excited, and though he hadn't minded having some downtime in the museum, now they were about to leave he wanted to get to business. He had the feeling that something bad was about to happen crawling up his spine and it had been made worse by Luna's warning. The more time Kazahaya spent with James, the more Rikou wanted to find the ring and get the hell out of here.

"And you'll show us the ring?" Rikou reminded.

James grinned at him from over his shoulder, for he had already begun to leave the museum. "Yep!"

Luna gave Rikou one last look of warning before following after Kazahaya and her brother, and Rikou nearly regretted requesting to get the ring. He couldn't help but feel like he had just made the thing that was out to get Kazahaya take a huge step foreword, and he had no idea how he was supposed to veer it off track or stop it when the time came.

He took one last look at the ring replica before following the rest of the group out of the museum, and, little did he know, into the woven clothe of a plan set foreword by an evil mastermind.

* * *

The way to the orchard was torture for Rikou. When the group passed the train station Luna announced that she had to go and headed for it, leaving Rikou with the naïve kitty and the advancing dog. It got on his nerves and he found himself constantly having to push himself in between the two, for they seemed to be getting a little too close for his comfort.

James led them to a small dirt road which reached out of town and into the forest which surrounded Hyoga in a semi-circle. It twisted and twined on the path, and tree roots had begun to grow up from the ground, creating obstacles in the walk way (which Kazahaya nearly tripped over all of them, forcing either James or Rikou to catch him).

"It gets pretty cold down here in the winter." James explained, motioning toward the thinning trees. They came upon a hill and James stepped down carefully before leading them to a clearing. "It's usually because the water freezes so there is no insulation of the ground."

Kazahaya stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed they had come upon a bridge. _The same bridge that had been in his dream!_ He took a step back from it, almost to the point of panic. He couldn't understand, why was the bridge from his dreams right here in front of him?

"It must be hard taking care of the orchard in the winter." Rikou replied, before noticing Kazahaya was no where beside him nor was he beside James.

James stopped walking when he noticed Rikou had stopped following him on to the bridge, and glanced back curiously, only to notice Kazahaya staring at the bridge as though it was going to jump up and eat him. "Hmm…? What's the matter, Kudo-kun?"

Rikou stuck his hand in his pockets and smirked at the younger teen. "Afraid of bridges too?"

"I've seen this bridge before." Kazahaya said quietly. He looked at Rikou almost fearfully. "She was murdered on this bridge!"

Rikou cocked an eyebrow at him, obviously intrigued. "Who?"

"The girl! She came to help him and he murdered her!"

Rikou blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw it! I **saw** him **murder** her!"

Rikou now looked concerned. He signaled James to wait before approaching Kazahaya. When he was close enough Kazahaya grabbed onto Rikou's arm and looked up at his face with relief at the fact that Rikou had come off the bridge again and came to him.

"What happened?" Rikou whispered, loud enough for Kazahaya to hear, but not James who was watching them silently from the bridge.

"She…" Kazahaya hesitated and gulped, now looking fearful again. His hand tightened on to the fabric of Rikou's shirt. "She went here to help find a financer for his orchard. And then he killed her. Right here on the bridge." He answered quietly, looking away from Rikou and back towards the bridge.

Rikou turned slightly and blocked the view of the bridge from him, making Kazahaya look up at him again. "Who?"

"Mr. Cain did it."

Rikou recognized the name only because he had been forced to listen to James tell him about his father on the way here. "Why didn't you tell me about your vision earlier?"

"It wasn't a vision… I saw it in my dream."

"Your dream?"

"Yes. My dream."

Rikou looked him over thoughtfully before turning back toward the bridge. "We have to get that ring," he whispered before smiling at James reassuringly. "He's had a bad experience with bridges. Go on and we'll catch up with you."

"Oh…" James replied. "All right." He turned on his heel and started straight for the orchard at the end of the bridge.

When he was out of earshot Rikou turned back to Kazahaya again. "We'll talk more about your dream later." He pulled his arm away from Kazahaya and started after James, only to have his arm grabbed and clutched onto again, making him stop in his tracks.

When he turned to look back Kazahaya was looking at him anxiously. "Don't...!" Rikou noticed the desperate note in his voice, and it occurred to him that Kazahaya was near the point of panic. "Don't make me go there."

Rikou glanced at the hand on his arm before grabbing it with his own and pulling it off with little effort, however he didn't let it go. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Kazahaya was surprised not only by Rikou's action, but the serious tone of voice he used. It was comforting to know that Rikou wasn't going to laugh at him for being afraid of his dream, and even more so to know that he would look out for him (though, Rikou tended to do that anyway). He was comforted enough to allow Rikou to have his hand.

Rikou began to lead Kazahaya, hand in hand down the bridge, noticing that he hesitated before following him. The feeling of dread was filling Rikou again, the same one he got in the museum, and this time he was sure it had something to do with the towering trees the two were approaching. The orchard even looked ominous with large trees with trunks that glared and that cast large dark shadows upon the earth. And seeing Kazahaya so riled up over the bridge which lead to this place only fueled it. It was enough to frighten him.

But what frightened Rikou the most was the feeling that he was about to lose something special.


	3. Chapter 3

Story Title: BRoKen ORaNGeS

Chapter Title: Chapter Three Save Me

Rating: PG

Pages: 8

Words: 3,375

Characters (With Spaces): 18, 232

Paragraphs: 106

Lines: 364

Disclaimer: I do not own Legal Drug or any other related characters

Constructive criticism is welcomed, but nobody likes a flamer. So, please R&R, and read at your own risk.

* * *

Once off the bridge the orchard wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be. Kazahaya nearly forgot all about the bridge as James showed him around the orchard as they approached his house in the middle. Collective Citrus was more like a small peninsula surrounded by a wall of forest on all sides, the middle a huge clearing with rows upon rows of trees and then a small cabin in which James lived. Beside the cabin was a large road which ran off to the interstate highway directly off the exit which would lead directly to the Town of Hyoga, a large sign outside of it reading 'Cain's Collective Citrus!'

James hoped on one of the ladders that he had left there from this morning (he had been working in the orchard before hearing that his sister had come to Hyoga to visit. He then rushed out to meet up with her at the museum, forgetting about what he was doing at the orchard). He climbed to the top and picked out a pig juicy orange for himself and another for Kazahaya before climbing down again.

"Here!" He said, tossing one to Kazahaya who caught it promptly. He continued walking and began peeling his. "Tell me what you think."

Kazahaya smiled and punctured his, only to receive a squirt in the eye. "Argh! It spit on me!" He cried, dropping his orange and rubbing at his eye.

James turned and laughed. "They tend to do that."

"Who wants something that spits at you!?" Kazahaya cried, rubbing frantically at his stinging eye.

"It just means there's a lot of juice in it." James explained. He approached Kazahaya and grabbed his wrist, stopping him from rubbing his eye. "Don't rub at it. You'll make it worse!"

Rikou stepped in then, glaring at James darkly. James seemed to understand the warning and let go of Kazahaya's wrist and stepped back from him, returning the menacing glare with one of his own. Kazahaya continued to rub at his eye when James let go of him, ignoring the two older men and the burning air around them.

"It hurts…" He whined looking up at James with one eye closed. A tear fell down his face where his eye started to water.

James laughed. "Then we better get you to the closest sink for you to wash it out." He motioned toward the small cabin beside a large garage like building. The building's looked bland on the outside, and on the way in they looked the same. However, the small kitchen table had cheery sheets and smiling chairs. The sunflower rug had large green bubble letters that read 'welcome!'

James led Kazahaya to the sink and helped him turn it on. "You know if you hadn't rubbed at it, it wouldn't have been this bad." He stated as he watched Kazahaya attempt to wash his eyes out. When he was finished James shut the water off and handed him a clean hand towel to dry his face.

Rikou watched them carefully before looking around the house. It had a kitchen, a hallway that led to the bathroom and a living room. He was guessing that the stairs led to some bedrooms. When he turned back Kazahaya was sitting at the kitchen table happily munching on an orange James had peeled for him and James was looking at Rikou.

"If you want to go upstairs you can. There are two rooms up there, mine and my sister's room, but when she left I changed it into a guestroom."

Rikou looked thoughtful before deciding against it and taking a seat opposite Kazahaya at the table. "I actually just want to see this ring and then get back before dark."

"Oh…" James glanced out the window above the sink. "It gets dark pretty quickly around here, neh?" He turned and grinned happily. "You guys can stay here tonight if you want. That will give you plenty of time to research!"

Kazahaya dropped the orange he had been holding and looked up at James. "You… want us to stay here?"

James nodded his head. "Why not?"

Kazahaya looked thoughtful for a minute before grinning what Rikou dubbed as stupidly. "Yeah! That sounds like fun!"

Rikou wanted to slap Kazahaya and ask if he even possessed a brain, and he was about to reach over the table if James hadn't of spoken and reminded him that James was there.

"Oh good! I like people who really love their job!" James motioned for Kazahaya and Rikou to follow him. He led them up the stairs and to the bedroom on the left. "This is the guest bedroom. You guys can have this one for the night."

Rikou walked around the room suspiciously while Kazahaya turned to James again. "What about dinner?"

"Don't you worry about that! I've got it covered. You should finish your research with Himura-san." He pushed Kazahaya into the room and stepped back. "I'll go get the ring for you."

James turned to leave hastily and Rikou couldn't help but wonder what in the world the other man was up to. Kazahaya was on the same page with him, for he was watching the door where James had left open suspiciously. "Why does he want to get rid of the ring so badly?"

Before Rikou could comment James reappeared with a small silver box. He handed it to Kazahaya, who happened to be closest to the door, and smiled at him gaily. "I hope your research proves fruitful. I'll call you down when I finish making something to eat…" He turned and began to close the door before turning back and looking at Kazahaya and Rikou curiously. "Anything you want specifically?"

"No thanks." Rikou responded.

"I'm sure whatever you had in mind will taste really good, James!" Kazahaya said with a grin.

James returned it. "Pasta it is!" He exclaimed before shutting the door behind him. The two listened to his retreating foot falls down the stairs until they dimmed enough to suggest he was back in the kitchen.

Kazahaya turned toward Rikou and showed him the box. It was silver, with the picture of a coiled up snake on the top, framed in designs of snake scales. Rikou stepped over and opened the box, revealing the real Constriction Ring.

"This almost seems to easy…" Rikou muttered as he pulled the ring out of the box.

The ring glinted off of the fading sunlight, the amber gem seeming to glow. Kazahaya couldn't believe that a ring as beautiful as this could have such a low grade replica like it did in the museum.

"Luna said it was cursed." Kazahaya said.

"Hmm..." Much to Kazahaya's horror, Rikou slipped it on his finger.

"**What** are you doing!?"

"Seeing if it's an ordinary ring." Rikou responded, slipping the ring off of his finger and handing it to Kazahaya. "No curse."

Kazahaya looked surprised and took the ring from Rikou. "But…" He looked confused as he turned the ring over in his hands, looking for anything strange.

"The only thing weird about it is that it contorts to the shape of your finger." Rikou responded. He took the ring from him and grabbed Kazahaya's hand. He separated his ring finger from the others and slid the ring onto the finger.

Kazahaya looked flustered before an unexpected memory flashed before his eyes.

_Hirotsuzu was gutted like a fish, her blood poring out over the bridge_, _eyes deep empty voids of life. Mr. Cain knelt down and pulled the ring off his right hand, the one he had previously been carrying the scythe in, and put it on her hand. Then he stood up again and kicked her over the edge of the bridge, her lifeless body flopping down into the water. The man left the scythe there and walked casually back toward the trees where he had come from._

Kazahaya came too finding himself against Rikou. When the memory had hit him his knees had weakened and Rikou had caught him. He looked up at Rikou curiously who was looking back down at him with concern in his eyes, though his face remained expressionless.

"He pushed her off." Kazahaya said softly. "He killed her and then pushed her into the water, masking it as a suicide." Kazahaya pressed his head to Rikou's chest and automatically Rikou reached up and began stroking his hair softly.

"Why did he kill her? Why are my dreams replaying the events before her death? Why…?" Kazahaya's began to cry silently as his mind continued to replay the memory in his head.

Rikou said nothing as Kazahaya continued to mutter to himself, asking why. Rikou didn't quite understand it himself, but he was guessing that what ever it was it had something to do with this ring, and that until they solved the mystery, neither of them could go home.

* * *

_Kazahaya sat up and rubbed at his head, wondering why it had started to hurt, before looking around. He was in a dark room, the details of it hard to make out due to the dim lighting, though he could tell that there was a bed on one side and that the room smelled like something was rotting._

_He went to stand up, only to find that his legs were chained. He felt for them and then used his hands to follow them, finding that the chains seemed to be cemented into the cold wall. He pulled on the chain, only to find it stuck. He continued to pull, and was on the verge of panic, when he heard rough foot steps getting closer._

_He turned toward the door in time to see a shadowy figure open it. It turned on the lights and Kazahaya determined that it was Mr. Cain staring back at him with deep red eyes. Kazahaya backed up against the cold cement wall, fear paralyzing him._

"_Hello my new pet." Mr. Cain said. He moved toward him and Kazahaya noticed the scythe in his hand. "I bet you're a lot more obedient than my last one."_

_Mr. Cain gestured toward the side of the room with the scythe and when Kazahaya glanced at it, he saw the slowly decaying remains of a woman, black blood staining the floor beneath her and her guts on the floor, flies collected on them and having a feast. Half of her body was crawling with maggots where the skin had been eaten away, exposing the pure white bones of her skeleton, the other half covered in rotting skin._

_Kazahaya would have thrown-up if he hadn't remembered Mr. Cain was in the room. He turned away from the body and back up at Mr. Cain, who had placed the scythe down and was now directly above Kazahaya. He kneeled in front of him and Kazahaya pressed himself harder against the wall in order to get away._

_Mr. Cain grabbed Kazahaya's chin and turned it right and left, up and down, observing his face with those dark eyes of his. "You're a lot prettier than her too."_

_Mr. Cain leaned in toward Kazahaya's face, his dark eyes turning from dark and ominous to lustful. "I wonder if you taste better." He smirked when Kazahaya paled and his pupils dilated. "If you'll…react better."_

"_You **are** better than her, aren't you?"_

_Kazahaya nodded feverishly, his body breaking out into a cold sweat. _

_Mr. Cain chuckled and pressed one of Kazahaya's shoulders against the wall with his other hand, using the one he had on the blonds face in order to lead Kazahaya into a kiss. It wasn't a soft one or a requesting one, but a dominating one. One that would bruise. Kazahaya reacted in fear, hoping that if he did so Mr. Cain wouldn't kill him like he did the woman in the corner of the room._

_Mr. Cain moved in between Kazahaya's legs and pressed his knee against the blonds groin and Kazahaya whimpered while spreading his legs so that Mr. Cain could have better access. Mr. Cain grabbed onto his hips and pulled him lower in order to crawl over him and have a more comfortable position for himself._

_His whole body willed him to fight, but he didn't dare. Not even when Mr. Cain removed his pants and under garments. All he could do was cry silently and pray that someone would come to save him. That his Rikou, like so many time before, would stride into the room and pull Mr. Cain off of him, break the chains on his arms, and carry him out of here._

_An explosive pain jolted him from his thoughts and he screamed. He was sure that his insides were being torn apart by Mr. Cain as he continued to move roughly with little consent on what he was really doing to the person underneath him. Kazahaya could feel the warm liquid of blood and could hear his own crying, but for some reason he didn't register it. Nothing really registered except the feeling of abandonment he felt. As though no one had really cared to come and save him though they had heard his cries._

_A silly concept, but he had become so accustomed to Rikou coming to save him that he had expected him to do it again, and now that he wasn't here, he felt as though Rikou had abandoned him. He knew that was not the case, that Rikou could never **always** be there to save him, but it kept his mind off of what was happening to him now and what was happening to his body…_

Being jolted awake by a splash of cold water had never before been such a welcoming thought. Kazahaya bolted upright, water dripping of his nose, and looked around frantically, only to see the empty plate of pasta in front of him, Rikou with an empty cup in his hand and looking expressionless, and James looking at him in concern.

"Are you okay, Kudo-kun?" James asked curiously.

Kazahaya glanced at Rikou again before smiling reassuringly at James. "Yeah…"

"Are you sure? You just suddenly passed out when I was talking about the food processing plant next door."

Kazahaya nodded. "I'm okay… Just tired…"

James didn't buy it, Kazahaya could tell by the way he looked at him, and neither did Rikou. Their prying eyes, especially Rikou's, were too much to take for his riled up nerves that were barely starting to calm down.

"I'm full." Kazahaya said, standing up and placing his plate in the sink. He turned to James. "Do you mind if I take a bath before I go to bed?"

James shook his head and Kazahaya gladly ran for the bathroom, glad for the escape. He shut the door and was surprised to find no lock on it, but figured that since he had announced it no one would walk in on him. He undressed himself and ran the warm water before looking around for some soap.

He found some with the scent of oranges, and he found that he liked the smell of them, but only to an extent. He added some into the water as the tub continued to fill, before placing the bubble bath soap back and picking up the shampoo. By then the tub was nearly half full, and he stepped in carefully while placing the shampoo within easy access beside him as he sat down.

He spread out and let the warm water soothe his skin and nerves. That dream had been too much of a personal space intrusion. The one with Hirotsuzu hadn't of been too bad, for at least he couldn't relate to them, but the one he had recently had blew his mind out of the water.

With a sigh he lay back and rested his head on the back of the tub, trying to forget all of the events of his recent dream, letting the warm water wash over his senses. He closed his eyes and dozed off, unaware of anything but the warm water and the scent of oranges.

"You look like a woman."

Kazahaya jumped when he heard Rikou's voice and found him sitting on the toilet, smirking at him like he always did. Kazahaya blushed a bright pink when he saw him there, feeling his anger begin to rise.

"What the hell are you doing in here asswi-!?"

Kazahaya suddenly remembered that he was naked and grew embarrassed, his voice cutting short as his face turned the color of a Macintosh apple (without the marbled bits of green of course). He was glad for the bubbles, for he would of felt more exposed if they hadn't of been there.

Rikou watched as Kazahaya pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them before looking away from him with a scarlet face. He reminded Rikou even more of a woman when he did that, but for some reason something inside him told him this wasn't exactly the best time to pick a fight.

"I wanted to talk about your dream."

"Oh..." Kazahaya responded, refusing to look back up and meet Rikou's eyes.

"You saw Cain murder a girl on the bridge?"

Kazahaya's grip on his knees tightened. "No… She came to Hyoga to help him finance his orchard. Her name was Hirotsuzu, and he invited her to spend some time in his orchard."

"Then he murdered her?"

Kazahaya nodded. "He killed her with his scythe, put the ring on her finger, and then pushed her body over the side of the bridge and into the water…"

"He put the Constriction Ring on the girls' finger?"

The blond nodded again before gulping. He clenched his eyes shut, remembering the images in his head that he had been trying to forget prior to the present. "I had another dream when I passed out." He whispered.

Rikou looked concerned. "You've had more than one?"

"I was locked in a room, chained to the wall… then he came in and called me his pet a-and I saw h-her body." Kazahaya took a shaky breath before opening his eyes again, this time seeing the images flash before his eyes. "Half decayed and rotting… It smelled really bad…"

Rikou was starting to worry. His talk about half dead people and the glassy look in his eyes made him concerned, not only for Kazahaya's health but for his sanity. Dreams like that could not only obscure his sleep, but also corrupt his innocent person in nearly no time.

"He raped me."

That took Rikou by surprise. "What?"

Kazahaya turned to Rikou, his eyes now watery. "In my dream, he raped me…" A tear ran down his cheek as he continued to look at Rikou with half desperate, half accusing eyes. "… and you didn't come to rescue me."

Rikou wasn't sure what Kazahaya was talking about, but seeing the blond look so pained made his own heart clench painfully. He slid off the toilet and kneeled beside the tub, reaching his arms over and grasping Kazahaya in a hug, and the smaller teen, though hesitant at first, moved to accept it, wrapping his own arms around Rikou's large frame.

"I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

Kazahaya buried his face into the crook of Rikou's shoulder and his neck. "Rikou… What if I get separated from you? What if… **he **comes to get me?"

Rikou could tell that the dreams still had Kazahaya riled up, and even if Mr. Cain was dead, it wouldn't matter to Kazahaya if the dream was still vivid in his own memory. At this moment he was seeking comfort, something to remind him that everything was going to be alright.

No… _He needed someone to **hold **him and **tell** him everything was going to be alright._

"If that happens Kazahaya… I swear that I'll come and save you."


	4. Chapter 4

Story Title: BRoKen ORaNGeS

Chapter Title: Chapter Four Lavender Lingerie

Rating: PG

Pages: 11

Words: 4, 071

Characters (With Spaces): 22, 791

Paragraphs: 153

Lines: 489

Disclaimer: I do not own Legal Drug or any other related characters

Sorry about the long wait for this chapter, but I lost sight of the plot and what I was trying to accomplish. But, I'm back on track, and soon Chapter Five will be done.

Constructive criticism is welcomed, but nobody likes a flamer. So, please R&R, and read at your own risk.

* * *

Kazayaha approached the room that he knew Rikuo was laying in carefully with a towel wrapped around his waist. After being comforted by Rikuo, the bigger teen left Kazahaya to go to bed, and for some reason that had filled Kazahaya with loneliness. Though, why he would miss such a prick was beyond him. Kazahaya sighed at his own confused emotions and thoughts before opening the door and tiptoeing inside the room.

"You may act like a cat, but you're not as stealthy as one." Rikuo muttered from his position on the bed, making Kazahaya jump.

"I was trying to keep you from waking up!"

Rikuo sat up and looked over at Kazahaya with an amused grin. "I was sleeping?"

"Yes! I mean… uh…"

Rikuo chuckled. "You're an idiot."

"GAH! Stop calling me that! My name is **not** idiot!!"

Kazahaya fumed at Rikuo like a teapot would steam as Rikuo stood up and walked towards the dresser on the other side of the room. "When I left I met James in the hallway who said he left a pair of pajamas up here for you."

Rikuo pulled out some lingerie, the color of lavender, and a mixture of amusement and confusion crossed his face. "I guess he thought you'd look good in his sister's clothes."

Kazahaya turned white and pointed at the outfit with a look of disgust crossing his face. "NUH-HUH! No frickin way am I putting on that… that **thing.**"

"So you'd rather sleep nude?"

Kazahaya nodded his head vigorously.

"With me?"

Kazahaya's head nodding slowed down a considerable amount.

"In the same bed?"

Kazahaya's head nodding ceased and he was now turning scarlet.

Rikuo smirked. "You **animal!**"

"BASTARD!" Kazahaya shouted as he snatched the two piece frilly outfit from Rikuo's grasp. He looked at it more closely and blushed as he realized that the bottom was shaped much like the fashion of short shorts, the top would probably only cover his chest and leave his stomach exposed, and it looked like there was more ribbons for tying it shut then there was clothe!

He seriously thought about rethinking it, if Rikuo hadn't been sitting on the bed smirking at him in triumph. Kazahaya bet he was just waiting for him to decline and get in naked, the perv… But Kazahaya wouldn't let him! No way!

Kazahaya shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He turned away from Rikuo, feeling his cheeks flush. He would have started to get into the skimpy outfit if he hadn't have felt Rikuo's eyes on his back. He turned slowly and looked over his shoulder at Rikuo with a glare. "Do you **mind?**"

"No."

Kazahaya was surprised by the quick answer. He hadn't expected that one. He blushed a bright pink when he realized that Rikuo was content with watching him, and part of him seemed a little unnerved by it, while the other part wanted to get playful. And even as those emotions rushed through him he wanted to choke himself and hoped the emotions would shrivel and die a slow and painful death.

"Just… turn the other way." Kazahaya instructed looking away from Rikuo and crossing his arms, his cheeks still a bright pink.

"Why?" Rikuo asked as he lay back on the bed, resting his head atop his arms. "I already saw you in the bathtub."

"SEE! YOU **ARE** A PERVERT!" Kazahaya screeched, pointing an accusing finger at Rikuo. His face was now turning colors again, and Rikuo was wondering just how many times that had happened in the short period of time they had spent in the town of Hyoga.

"I never said I wasn't."

That arrogant smirk was back on his face, and Kazahaya wanted to tear it off. "Bastard, bastard, bastard, bastard, BASTARD!!"

"Oh shut-up and put the thing on. I'm tired."

"Wha-?"

"I don't want you crawling all over me when you crawl into bed."

Kazahaya bristled. "I will not crawl all over you! Why do you have to be such a pervert all the time! Argh!"

Rikuo glanced at him then, looking thoughtful. Kazahaya looked flustered and tense, not to mention embarrassed about what he was about to put on and about getting into bed with someone else with it. Rikuo turned over on his side and sighed heavily (for he was missing something he would die to get a look at). Damn you good morals.

Kazahaya blinked in surprise before silently thanking Rikuo and taking off his towel. He couldn't believe he was being forced into wearing this, and it made him self conscious about everything around him, getting paranoid as imaginary eyes stared at him and made him sweat. He was even more mortified to find that the outfit actually fit him pretty well, and it was comfortable. _Comfortable _god damn-it! Why did he always have to end up in woman's clothing!?

"Are you ashamed of your body, Kazahaya?"

Kazahaya was shocked into surprise by Rikuo's question. "No. Why?"

"So… Then it **is** just a stupid little virgin thing."

Kazahaya bristled. "You asshole!"

Rikuo glanced over his shoulder at Kazahaya, looking almost tired enough to pass out, which made Kazahaya's anger turn into worry. In fact, the emotional strain of jealousy, possessiveness, and necessity to protect was taking a toll on him, and the dark haired man blamed it all on James. That man was out to get Kazahaya; he could tell by the way he looked at him, but for what purpose? What was his game? All the questions, running through his head… all the stress… It was getting to the point that Rikuo couldn't stand it anymore.

Kazahaya approached the bed and crawled beside Rikuo, looking concerned. "Are you okay?"

Rikuo turned on his back in order to look at Kazahaya properly. "I'm tired. Thinking too much will do that to you. However… you wouldn't know that would you?"

Kazahaya almost looked hurt before glaring at Rikuo. "I was trying to make sure you were alright you prick! And why do you always call me such mean names!?"

"I didn't call you a name that time." Rikuo pointed out.

"You **implied **it!"

"You sound like a woman." Rikuo muttered.

Kazahaya looked like he wanted to tear Rikuo's tongue out and choke him with it, but it only lasted a second. The blond sighed heavily. He hated fighting with Rikuo all the time, even if it was Rikuo's fault for provoking him. He considered Rikuo a… friend… and he already owed him so much.

"What are you looking at me like that for?"

Kazahaya jumped and realizing he had been staring, he turned away from Rikuo quickly. "Just thinking…"

"That's a first."

Kazahaya clenched his fists. "Why are you such an asshole all the time!?" He turned over and jerked the covers over himself roughly, giving Rikuo the cold shoulder.

"It's not good to go to bed angry." Rikuo stated. When he got no answer back from the blonde he sighed. He had stepped over the imaginary line by teasing Kazahaya too much again, and he mentally slapped himself for it.

He believed he might have a slight chance with Kazahaya, but… the more he pushed him away the less likely it would happen.

* * *

_Kazahaya shot up from his position on the ground, finding himself sitting in the same puddle of blood which Hirotsuzu had died in on the same bridge where her body had been pushed into the river._

_He tried to get up, but found his body was sore and covered in bruises and scratches. However, the fresh puddle of blood he was sitting wasn't his, for he didn't have any deep gashes any where on his body. He shivered at the thought of Hirotsuzu dieing and managed to shakily pull himself to his feet. _

_The bridge looked like it went on forever and ever, with the end to freedom an unreachable existence and the other end blocked with a tower of trees. The water below the bridge was almost a dark purple color, and the look of it was giving Kazahaya the chills._

_Suddenly he heard foot steps scraping behind him, and Kazahaya turned around quickly, only to see Rikuo approaching him slowly. He was surprised to see Rikuo there, and he watched as Rikuo headed toward him._

_Automatically he knew something was wrong, and when Rikuo got close enough Kazahaya knew what it was. Rikuo was badly injured, his face covered in blood and bruises. He was hunched over in pain, his hand on his profusely bleeding stomach, the blood oozing between his fingers and leaving a trail on the bridge._

_Rikuo looked up at Kazahaya with eyes that looked as though they were about to burn out, before collapsing on to the ground. Kazahaya gasped, and forgetting about his own sore body, ran toward where Rikuo fell._

"_Rikuo!" He shouted, kneeling beside him. _

"_Kaza…haya…"_

_Kazahaya looked over Rikuo worriedly, realizing that the deep gash in his stomach was going to be fatal if he didn't get some help as soon as possible. "I'm going to get you some help." Kazahaya said, making a move to get up. Rikuo grabbed him and ceased Kazahaya's movement and Kazahaya felt his heart clench painfully at the sight of Rikuo looking at him as though he wanted Kazahaya to kill him in mercy._

_Rikuo shook his head gently. "No… use."_

_Kazahaya felt a deep piercing feeling of sorrow and heart break spear through his chest like a knife. "Rikuo…" Why was Rikuo saying he wanted to die? The very thought of this let the tears escape the barricade and travel down his face._

_Rikuo reached up shakily and brushed a tear away from Kazahaya's face, leaving a smudge of blood on his cheek. He then cupped Kazahaya's face with his hand and Kazahaya leaned into it._

"_Don't leave me…"_

_Rikuo suddenly looked stern. "Kazahaya…run… I don't…want him … to kill you too."_

_Kazahaya was close to his breaking point. "I can't just leave you here!"_

"_I want you too." Kazahaya looked so heart broken at that and torn that Rikuo almost regretted saying it. "If you don't… He'll get you too."_

"_Rikuo…" Kazahaya let the tears flow freely now, his heart breaking every second he realized that Rikuo wanted Kazahaya to forget about him and leave. _

_Rikuo moved his hand to behind Kazahaya's head and pulled him down into a small and gentle kiss. When he let go he smiled at Kazahaya softly. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk all the time…"_

_Kazahaya grabbed at Rikuo's hand as it fell from where it had been holding him. "Rikuo… no… don't…"_

_Rikuo sighed, letting out his last breath, and Kazahaya let his hand fall, watching as it fell in slow motion and landed on the ground with a small thud. He sat beside Rikuo, letting the despair fill his senses, letting him self feel the piercing pain in his chest. He knotted his fist into Rikuo's shirt and hunched over him in despair, his body shaking as he sobbed heavily in his grief._

_Footsteps alerted him, and he glanced up to see Mr. Cain standing just a few feet away, a malicious grin on his face and the scythe in his hands, blood dripping off it's rusty form and making a small puddle on the bridge._

"_You're next, Kazahaya." _

"Wake up damn-it!"

Kazahaya jolted awake, sweat dripping off his brow and a salty taste in his mouth. He was surprised to see Rikuo looking at him with concern, and Kazahaya felt his body sag in relief. "Rikuo!"

"What in the world were yo-GAH!" Rikuo was cut off as Kazahaya jumped him, making Rikuo fall back in the bed.

Kazahaya touched him everywhere, running his hands through his hair and down his chest and arms. Rikuo cocked an eyebrow when Kazahaya finally slowed his frantic body searching to a stop and rested his hands on Rikuo's shoulders and looked into his eyes.

"Thank goodness you're all right." Kazahaya breathed a sigh of relief and sat up, wiping sweat off of his forehead.

"What the hell was that?" Rikuo asked the blonde who was straddling him.

Kazahaya tensed and Rikuo knew immediately that he shouldn't have said anything. The events of the dream rushed back into Kazahaya's mind, the blood covering Rikuo's form, the way he looked before he died… His eyes began to water and he looked at Rikuo helplessly, his throat constricting itself as he tried to hold back the tears.

Rikuo sat up wordlessly. He looped an arm around Kazahaya in order to bring the blonde with him. Kazahaya laid his head against Rikuo's chest timidly, letting out a quiet whimper, his arms dropping from his shoulders and wrapping around Rikuo's torso. "Don't leave me…"

He was crying again, and Rikuo hated it when Kazahaya cried. He had only seen it about once or twice (both of the times being here in the town of Hyoga) but seeing Kazahaya in so much pain made his own heart clench painfully.

"I won't."

"Promise me." Kazahaya looked up at Rikuo, searching for sincerity in his eyes and voice.

Rikuo searched his too, finding worry. He wondered what Kazahaya was so worried about, though he did have some idea that it had to do with him leaving. "I promise… I won't leave you."

Kazahaya curled up against Rikuo more comfortably, resting his forehead against Rikuo's neck, and cried silently, quietly whimpering to himself. Rikuo was surprised to have Kazahaya seeking comfort from him. Rikuo tightened his hold on him comfortingly and shushed him quietly, and Kazahaya's quiet weeping died down some what, however, his body continued to shake. Rikuo could feel it travel through his chest and his arms which were wrapped around the blonde's body, and even fainter against the skin of his forehead on Rikuo's throat.

"Are you okay?" He whispered near Kazahaya's ear.

"I don't w-want to dream anymore." Came Kazahaya's whispered reply.

Rikuo realized that the whole time he and Kazahaya had stayed in Hyoga, Kazahaya had been having nightmares every night, each one seemingly to get worse and more gruesome than the last. And this all tied into the ring and the place they were staying in now, and when he added them together, he figured that even he himself, the emotionless rock that he was, would have been frightened to some to degree. One problem, Kazahaya could only see memories, not premonitions, therefore each dream had to be some sort of memory, and that only seemed to fuel the fire of his fear. Frankly, Rikuo didn't blame him.

"It's okay…" Rikuo moved the hand on Kazahaya's back gently up and down.

Kazahaya growled and pulled away from. "No it's not! He killed you, Rikuo! He killed you! And he's coming after me!" Kazahaya cried. "He wants to-"

So** that's** what Kazahaya was so upset about. For some reason this surprised Rikuo, and it must have shone up on his face because Kazahaya stopped talking and just looked at him desperately.

"Wants to what?" Rikuo probed.

"He wants to…" Kazahaya responded weakly. Kazahaya was staring at him, but his eyes had turned dazed and glassy, and Rikuo realized he was staring past him, into some unseen image.

"Stop it…" Kazahaya answered finally, moving out of reach from Rikuo.

"Stop what?" Rikuo asked. He noticed that Kazahaya wasn't really listening to him for he continued to stare past him with that lost gaze. It began to worry him. "Kazayaha…?"

Kazahaya didn't turn his tear-stained face toward him when he spoke, and his eyes never left the wall on the opposite side of the room. "Rikuo… You shouldn't be here."

"What?"

"He wants me, not you."

"Who?"

"If you stay you'll get hurt…"

"What the hell are you talking about!?" Rikuo reached out and Kazahaya jerked away, as though Rikuo was a venomous snake. The cold pain of rejection stabbed him, but even more was the fear for Kazahaya, who was grabbing at his ears, almost in a clawing motion, as though he was trying to stop listening to something which was playing in his own head.

"Stop!" Kazahaya shouted, curling into a ball. "Stop it! Shut-up!" Rikuo watched him continue to grab at his head and curl in on himself, worried to the point that he could hear his own heart beating, fueled by the fact that Kazahaya refused to let him touch him.

It was when Kazahaya tried to hurt himself in an attempt to stop what ever it was that was making him react in such a way, that Rikuo grabbed at Kazahaya's wrists roughly. Kazahaya fought against his hold violently as Rikuo pressed him back into the bed.

"Kazahaya! Snap out of it you idiot!"

Kazahaya seemed to snap back into reality and stared up at Rikuo in surprise, who in turn was looking down at him in concern. Kazahaya's eyes began to water again as he continued to stare up at the darker teen. "Rikuo…"

Rikuo would of questioned him, if Kazahaya's voice hadn't have sounded so desperate and needy. He pulled Kazahaya back up and wrapped his arms around him again, and Kazahaya shrunk into him, making himself as small as possible, clinging to Rikuo desperately and seeking as much comfort as possible. Rikuo held him silently, massaging him comfortingly, pondering and worrying about Kazahaya as the blonde sobbed into his shoulder.

Rikuo held him until Kazahaya relaxed enough to fall into the void of sleep, and then continued to hold him until he feel asleep himself, as though trying to defend Kazahaya from the plaque of dreams threatening to break the thread on Kazahaya's sanity.

* * *

Rikuo awoke, slowly opening his eyes. It was early afternoon judging by the sun in the bedroom window, and it looked like it was a nice crisp day, the sun looking a bit chilled. Rikuo found that he was still sleeping with his arms tightly wrapped around the blonde protectively and he couldn't help but scoff at himself. As though daring the dreams to defy him would actually keep the blonde from dreaming. But it felt nice to just hold him.

Kazahaya had his head just below Rikuo's chin on his neck and his forearms rested against Rikuo's chest. They lay stomach to stomach, and Kazahaya's knees barely touched Rikuo's own. He was breathing evenly, and he wasn't sweating or making strange noises, which lead Rikuo to believe Kazahaya was sleeping peacefully. Maybe holding him **had** done something to keep Kazahaya from dreaming?

Realizing Kazahaya was okay for now, Rikuo carefully removed his arms and rolled over onto his back, stretching carefully so not to hit Kazahaya and still get the stiffness out of his joints. He put his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling, his mind traveling back to last night.

Rikuo was convinced now more than ever that something dangerous was going on. And the way Kazahaya had acted last night scared him, more than anything he could say had scared him before, but he was more scared for Kazahaya then he was himself.

If this all had to do with the Constriction Ring then Rikuo was seriously pondering about killing Kakei when he got back to the Green Drug store.

He was distracted from his thoughts as Kazahaya shuffled up to him in an almost half-asleep daze. He laid his head back against his chest, using Rikuo as a pillow, and wrapped an arm around him. He snuggled up to him as though Rikuo was a giant teddy bear (which he happened to be in this state).

Rikuo smiled at him softly and moved his arm out from under his head in order to touch Kazahaya's cheek softly. Kazahaya's eyebrows furrowed at the tickling caress like motion on his face and his eyes fluttered open, a dazed look in them as though he was awake but his mind was still resting its head on a pillow.

Rikuo reluctantly pulled his hand away and placed it back under his head. "Morning."

"G'Mormng…" Kazahaya replied blearily. He sat up and stretched with a loud, almost cat-like, yawn, which in Rikuo's opinion was absolutely adorable. He couldn't keep himself from touching him again.

Kazahaya widened his eyes a bit before leaning into the caress while closing his eyes, seemingly enjoying Rikuo's touch. This was a deep surprise for the darker teen who was expecting Kazahaya to jerk away and shout at him in his flustered way. Becoming a bit curious as to what this meant between them, he realized there was probably only one way to find out.

He reached behind Kazahaya's head and pulled Kazahaya toward him gently, and Kazahaya, though hesitant at first, let him pull. He was just as curious as Rikuo was, and their faces were just inches apart, both wondering who would be the first to satisfy their curiosity for the both of them.

Suddenly the door banged open loudly and James came barging in, making Kazahaya jump and pull away from Rikuo sharply. James had looked excited beyond compare until he noticed the way Rikuo and Kazahaya were laying on the bed. He blushed in embarrassment and averted his eyes.

"Ah… I see you guys were already busy."

Kazahaya smiled at him reassuringly. "No we weren't."

James gave him a cocked eyed expression but chose to ignore it. "Oh! Then you should probably come down to breakfast and get ready! I want to take you to meet some one!"

Kazahaya grinned. "Okay! Sounds fun!" He turned back to Rikuo and for the first time he realized that Rikuo was glaring at James darkly, as though willing the man to die right on the very spot with his leer of daggers. "We'll be down soon."

"Okay! Good!" James grinned and waved. "See you in a minute."

Kazahaya waited for him to shut the door and for his foot steps to fade before turning to Rikuo curiously. "You don't like him very much do you?"

Rikuo looked surprised. "Why do you say that?"

Kazahaya gave him a cock-eyed expression as Rikuo sat up. "Because I saw you glaring at him like a snake will to the mouse in his cage."

Rikuo looked at Kazahaya carefully, remembering that though Kazahaya was naïve he was extremely perceptive. He would have realized something was up between him and James sooner or later. "I don't like him."

Kazahaya looked a little worried. "Why?"

"I think he wants to hurt you," Rikuo responded.

"James?" Kazahaya tilted his head to the side. "Why do you think that he'll hurt me?"

"It's in the way he looks at you. It pisses me off."

Kazahaya looked at Rikuo with an expression that was unreadable. "It sounds to me like you're jealous."

"Jealous?" Rikuo replied. "Jealous of what?" Was it just his imagination that Kazahaya looked hurt by that comment?

Kazahaya sighed, stood up from the bed, and crossed the room. "Okay… if you think he's dangerous I'll be more careful around him." He paused at the doorway, looking a little down cast. "I'm going to get my clothes out of the dryer. I'll see you at breakfast."

Rikuo watched him leave curiously. What ever he had said seemed to upset Kazahaya, but what exactly was it. The jealous thing? Was Kazahaya upset that Rikuo didn't admit that he was jealous over him? Or was this just wishful thinking?

It wasn't going to get him anywhere sitting and pondering about it. He stood up from the bed and headed downstairs, where three plates of eggs and bacon were waiting, along with three bowls filled with orange slices and a glass of milk. He decided as he sat down to eat that he was going to find out what Kazahaya was upset about… and maybe that he wanted some toast to go along with his breakfast.


	5. Chapter 5

Story Title: BRoKen ORaNGeS

Chapter Title: Chapter Five The Curse

Rating: PG-13 (For suggestive themes)

Pages: 10

Words: 3, 873

Characters (With Spaces): 21, 399

Paragraphs: 129

Lines: 434

Disclaimer: I do not own Legal Drug or any other related characters.

Constructive criticism is welcomed, but nobody likes a flamer. So, please R&R, and read at your own risk.

* * *

"If you've got questions, she'll answer them!" James said with grin, reading off the sign in front of the small house. Rikuo and Kazahaya had followed James back into the town of Hyoga, and he lead them to a small house, draped with red and yellow curtains decorated with suns, stars, and moons. Inside the house was a rat-trap of objects which seemed out of place and ancient, and others, like the monkeys paw which Kazahaya could not refrain from touching, looked weird.

The middle of the room held a small crystal ball on a table. Sitting there was a woman whose bosom was large enough that is was almost like a stage performance that all eyes were drawn to. She had large hips and wore ancient robes that looked Egyptian, the color of navy blue and silver, and they even smelled musky. Her name was Phantasia, but everyone called her Phee, and she was a fortune teller.

She smiled when she saw James come in. "Hello there… What's this? You brought visitors?"

"Yes." James responded. "This is Kudo Kazahaya and Himura Rikuo."

Kazahaya smiled politely, liking the warm smile Phee gave him, and bowed. Rikuo grunted and made no further indication of a formal greeting.

Phee raised her hands. "Feel free to look around. Everything here can be bought at a fair price." She paused and her smile grew. "Unless you want your fortune told? Then you might get an item for free!"

Kazahaya seemed really excited. "Oh! Yes please!"

Phee smiled at him. "So excited! Most people dread to get their fortunes told by me."

Rikuo seemed suspicious. "Why is that?"

Phee smiled knowingly at him. "I simply tell them all the things they **don't** want to hear."

Kazahaya curbed his excitement, deciding he'd rather not know what was going to go wrong in his life, if that was what she was getting at. He would find out for himself… he could even tell himself. He knew everything was wrong with Rikuo, but still, what was he to do? Wait… Rikuo? AH! Where the hell did that come from? And that sentence didn't even make sense! Why would he even think like that?

Rikuo glanced over at Kazahaya curiously, for he had retreated into his thoughts. He feared that Kazahaya might be going through another fit like last night, but he seemed different today. He seemed to be less, in danger, and more troubled. Something was bothering him, but it wasn't his nightmares, and that made Rikuo a bit more relieved.

"I don't believe in fortune telling." Rikuo lied. Of course he did. Kakei was probably a living example of it. Though, he couldn't tell where his beloved Tsukiko had gone to, and that seemed to make him a little more mortal in Rikuo's eyes.

Phee smirked at the challenge. "Then let me read yours?"

Rikuo shrugged and headed for the table in the middle of the room, sitting with a loud sigh. He believed in fortune telling, and he wondered what kind of bad advice she would offer him. Though he felt like he probably already knew what it was.

Phee stared at him from the opposite side of the table and for a long while once she had sat down with a contemplative look on her face. "I do not have to do much reading to know most of your destiny." She muttered. "That's unusual."

Kazahaya stood behind Rikuo and watched Phee intently, curious as a cat. James however, took to slinking around the house, looking at the different artifacts more closely.

"So?" Rikuo responded bluntly.

"You have a strange one. It's filled with danger and mystery. Blood and money. Tears and laughter. Joy and sorrow." She smiled up at him. "Most eventful if you ask me, though more in the sense of being a risk taker then a normal life."

Rikuo looked bored and crossed his arms. "I already knew that."

Phee smiled at him knowingly again, and it was beginning to get on Rikuo's nerves. "You're destiny has been intertwined with another's, the power of unrequited love both keeping you together and separating you."

Rikuo seemed to look interested then. "Unrequited love?"

Phee simply smiled and then turned her gaze to Kazahaya. "Hm… I like you already."

Kazahaya looked surprised. "Huh?"

"You're awfully cute but…" She stopped short suddenly and lunged across the table, grabbing at Kazahaya's hand. Once she had a good grip she pulled it toward her roughly. "The Constriction Ring?"

Somewhere in the room something fell with a small _thump_. Kazahaya smiled sheepishly. "Oops… I forgot I had this on."

Phee looked up at him, an unreadable expression on her face. "Indeed… The curse of the ring does not take long to set in. Twenty-four hours perhaps. Once that happens you're a victim of your own mind, undermining at your will and sanity until you decide to find a way to stop it."

Kazahaya's pupils dilated as Phee said this and he pulled his hand away sharply. He looked frightened and on the verge of fleeing, and unconsciously Rikuo put his hand on his arm comfortingly. He felt Kazahaya flinch under it, but he didn't resist it.

"Can you tell us more about this curse?" Rikuo asked. "Like how to break it?"

"In order to do that you must here about the past of the ring," Phee answered. "The truth behind it is that it once belonged to a vicious killer. One who had killed the one he could not have and the one who had taken his lover away from him. His soul lives on in that ring, driving people insane and sending them on a killing spree in order to curb his blood lust."

Rikuo didn't buy it, Kazahaya could tell by the way he was looking at Phee. However, he could feel his heart beating heavily against his ribcage. Everything she was saying he knew was true, for often at times he would get strange notions in his head of what it would feel like to pierce some ones flesh. As he reflected upon this feeling he felt the burning sensation of tears, finding them very hard to hold back. He wanted to cry. He was so afraid that he wanted to cry! He wanted Rikuo to hold him and…

Rikuo again! Why does he keep popping up! Kazahaya didn't understand. Why couldn't he get Rikuo out of his head?

"Breaking this so called curse?" Rikuo asked.

Phee laughed. "I don't know! In fact, I can't know since no one has actually ever broken the curse. Why do you think the ring is still here?"

Rikuo growled. "Well, you were no help." He stood up rigidly and took Kazahaya by the hand. He was sure the tight and desperate clutch of his hand against Kazahaya's would have betrayed his real emotions, which were swimming in worry, if Kazahaya hadn't have clutched on to him in the same desperate way. Rikuo was afraid of losing Kazahaya just as much, maybe even more, as Kazahaya was of losing himself.

"Ah…! But I haven't finished!" Phee cried after them however Rikuo had already pulled Kazahaya out of the store and towards the street.

Rikuo stopped when the two were well away from the store and looked at the ring on Kazahaya's finger venomously. He took hold of it and tried to pull it off, and Kazahaya didn't bother to stop him, he was too afraid of it to do much of anything. Rikuo was dismayed that the ring wasn't going to budge, as though it had sprouted roots and had grown into Kazahaya's finger, and only stopped pulling when Kazahaya yelped and jerked his hand back.

"Sorry." Rikuo muttered.

Obviously he hadn't have realized that he had been hurting him. "That's okay." Kazahaya replied softly, thumbing at his sore finger timidly.

"It needs to come off." Rikuo said. He was looking at Kazahaya searchingly. "We need to break the curse or get the ring off by** any** means necessary."

Kazahaya looked up at Rikuo with wide eyes. Any means? Does that mean he wants to **cut** his **finger** off! He took a step back from Rikuo as soon as the thought hit him, and Rikuo knew that Kazahaya had understood what he meant.

"It may come to that." Rikuo said.

Kazahaya paled. "B-but…"

Rikuo grabbed hold of Kazahaya's arm and pulled him toward him, so close that Kazahaya's chest was resting against his. He leaned down and whispered into Kazahaya's ear. "I would rather see you with a missing finger then not see you ever again."

Kazahaya blushed and looked up at him. "Rikuo…?"

"Kazahaya…" Rikuo said softly. This made Kazahaya's eyes widen almost comically. Rikuo never called his name like that, and he never used a soft voice when he was talking to him. And the soft gaze of concern, and something else which Kazahaya could not place, locked him in. Their eyes met and held each others gazes, and something went off in the air, like sparks, and Kazahaya felt his face flush and his heart pound even harder against his chest then before.

"There you are! Phee said that she wanted to give you this."

Kazahaya was glad for the distraction and pulled sharply away from Rikuo and turned to James who was coming toward him with a box in his hand. His heart was still beating crazily, and something was rushing through his veins like adrenaline; he could feel it. And all he could wonder was what the hell was wrong with him? Why was he getting this way over a guy? And why did have to be Rikuo?

_It's because you love him _his inner voice told him, and for the first time he listened to it. Beforehand, back in the Green Drug Store, he would have squashed his inner voice and tell it to go to hell, but now… with his life in danger and Rikuo being his only clutch, he really had no choice but to accept the fact. It's too bad it took this long to figure it out, and he hoped that the two of them could figure this curse out so that he could live long enough to be able to tell Rikuo that he loved him. _That he adored him, and had adored him ever since Rikuo picked him up on that snowy night._

Count on James to ruin a moment. Rikuo growled at the man who was handing Kazahaya a box. "What is it?"

James shrugged. "She just told me to give it to you is all."

Kazahaya smiled. "That was nice of her!" He opened the box quickly, like a young kid would when they got there first Christmas present of Christmas morning, and his face paled when he looked inside.

"What is it?" James asked curiously.

Rikuo stepped over behind Kazahaya and choked on his laughter. Inside the box was a tube of lubricant, and beside a note which read 'you'll be needing this' with a small heart and Phee's signature.

Kazahaya turned bright red. "Why would she give me this? I don't need it!"

James looked inside the box and grinned. "Oh… I'm sure you will."

Kazahaya looked at him, horrified by what he had said. "What do you mean?"

James turned toward Rikuo, now looking serious. "I want to help you guys break the curse on that ring."

It didn't go un-noticed that James had changed the subject, but what he had said seemed far more interesting then the lubricant. If he was offering to help then the two of them it couldn't and wouldn't be refused. From what Phee had said, Rikuo knew that the curse would act fast, and that meant that they needed to act even faster if they hoped of breaking the curse.

"Does the library hold any old witch craft books?" Rikuo asked.

"No…" James answered, turning on his heel. He motioned for them to follow. "But my sister does."

* * *

James' sister lived in the town of Ôkami, similar to Hyoga in looks and buildings, however it was less barren and held more vegetation in windows, porches, and in the ground itself. The train ride to Ôkami took the whole day, (the towns were not very close together) and Kazahaya had fallen peacefully asleep with his head resting on Rikuo's shoulders.

By the time they reached Ôkami it was nearly nine at night. James lead Rikuo toward the last house in the town, far away from any of the other houses. It was located in a small clearing in the woods, a bridge leading to it's door, the house itself covered in plants and vines. Rikuo waited patiently with Kazahaya in his arms (he had chosen not to wake him up because he thought Kazahaya needed his sleep) as James knocked and waited for Luna to answer.

She did answer the door, wearing nothing but her night gown, which was lacey black and see through except for her bottom half and her breasts (Rikuo had asked what they would do if she had been asleep and James had replied that she never goes to sleep). She smiled at her brother when she saw him.

"Hi! Never thought you would come see me at this hour!" She looked beyond him and her smile turned into a grin. "And you brought the lover-boys! How charming."

She stepped aside and motioned for the two of them to step inside. Once they were she closed the door and locked it again. "So what brings you here so late?"

"The curse," James replied. "I offered to help them lift it and they may need to look at some of your ancient books."

"They will?" She asked. "Then the ones about charms, talismans, and curses right?"

"Precisely."

Luna turned to Rikuo and smiled kindly. "It must be hard to watch him suffer like this… I have a large bedroom downstairs, why don't you get some sleep?" Rikuo opened his mouth to protest but she stopped him. "Ah, ah, ah! By morning I will have all the books about curses out here waiting for you. Until then I can't have you snooping through my stuff."

Rikuo was a bit angered by this, but realized that she **was** offering to help him with allowing him to view her books, so he had no right to argue. "Alright. Thank-you."

"I'll wake you up when I'm finished." She replied before shooing him away with her hand.

Rikuo took the hint and headed in the direction she had shooed him in. The door was already open when he approached, as though she had been expecting them, and it was a bit unnerving. He shifted Kazahaya in his arms in order to switch on the light, and then carefully headed down the twelve stairs which turned to a large room, with a double bed, a musty and mold covered dresser, a greenish carpet with a large black stain near the edge of it, a TV and a small couch. It wasn't much, but it would supply a place to sleep for the night.

He carefully laid Kazahaya on the bed and tried to cover him gently, but the blanket brushing against Kazahaya's skin made the blonde jump. His eyes opened quickly and he gasped, his wide eyes meeting Rikuo's. After registering that Rikuo wasn't the threat that had started to appear in his dream, Kazahaya's eyes drooped again.

"Hm… Rikuo?" He asked brearily.

"Shh…" Rikuo replied, pressing his finger to Kazahaya's lips. Kazahaya had no idea why, but he kissed those fingers, and though Rikuo still looked emotionless, Kazahaya could read the emotions flowing through them easily in his weary state. Rikuo pulled his finger away while looking shocked, curious, and even more so was something strange, which still Kazahaya had no idea what to place it as.

But he so desperately wanted to call it love.

"Wah…" Kazahaya felt a burning sensation lightly on his neck. "What time is it?"

"Ten."

"Oh…" Kazahaya sighed. He sat up and looked at Rikuo like a puppy would when it wanted something from its owner, something that looked tasty or fun to play with.

Rikuo sat on the bed and gave him a cock-eyed expression. "What's the look for?"

Kazahaya turned pink and his eyes traveled involuntarily to Rikuo's lips for minor seconds before returning to his eyes. "Rikuo… will you…" He paused with a nervous sigh and looked down at the bed sheets, his hands fidgeting in his lap. "I know this will sound stupid but… will you… sleep with me?"

A long pause, and Kazahaya felt like he was going to die. He could feel his ears burning now. "I'm afraid of the nightmares…" he whispered, and Rikuo had to lean in closer to hear him. "… But I don't get them when you're with me… when you're…" He gulped and looked up at him again, this time looking completely embarrassed. "… holding me."

Rikuo's expression still remained as cold as stone. Kazahaya felt himself flush some more, thinking that Rikuo had become angry with him, and looked back down at his fidgeting hands. "I'm sorry…" He said softly. "Forget I asked. I'm going to bed."

Rikuo reached out and placed his hand atop the ones in Kazahaya's lap, ceasing there movement. "All right."

Kazahaya looked up at him with surprise. "You will?"

Rikuo's mouth curved into a small smile. "Yes… but you have to let me kiss you first."

Kazahaya paled. "K-kiss me…?"

Rikuo moved closer and wrapped the arm which he had ceased Kazahaya's fidgeting with around the blondes thin waist. His other hand he placed on Kazahaya's cheek gently, leading him in toward Rikuo's face. Kazahaya hesitated before moving closer to him, his cheeks turning pink again. He wasn't exactly sure why, but for some reason he had no desire to fight Rikuo, and as much as it mortified him to hear his heart pounding so heavily, it also it excited him to be feeling this way.

Their lips touched timidly, and the warmth of Rikuo nearly swept Kazahaya off his feet. Kazahaya closed his eyes and melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around his neck instinctively, and pressing him self a little closer. All that mattered was the warmth radiating from this bear that was keeping him safe in his arms, and the strength of Rikuo's muscles. Kazahaya opened his eyes, only to meet Rikuo's sharp gaze and the air electrified.

Rikuo tilted his head to the side, deepening the kiss and encouraging Kazahaya, who had obviously never kissed before, to follow his example. And Kazahaya did, feeling a feverish lust of which he had never before felt in his life. Rikuo pressed Kazahaya back into the sheets and slipped his tongue into Kazahaya's mouth, massaging the crevice and memorizing the taste and feel of Kazahaya before drawing the blondes tongue into his own mouth. Kazahaya followed his example timidly, and tickled Rikuo's arms and shoulder blades with light feathery touches before resting in Rikuo's jet black hair.

When they broke apart they were gasping (Kazahaya more so because he was new and had forgotten how to breathe between the intense kissing) and their eyes remained locked in place. Kazahaya looked up at Rikuo with half lidded eyes, glazed over with utter happiness. It was the way Rikuo had always wanted to see him, but only got to fulfill that wish in a dream.

He also wanted to see Kazahaya needy and desperate for him to fill him, and for him to see the look of ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment which came from the act that followed this sequence in his dreams.

"Kazahaya I…" Rikuo paused. In his dream he had always been able to say it, but now, looking down into Kazahaya's face, he wasn't sure if he was ready too. "I…"

Kazahaya's face paled and his pupils dilated, and immediately Rikuo felt his body tensing. He could feel Kazahaya withdrawing into himself. "No… Don't say it."

Rikuo recognized the expression of fear and sat up while bringing Kazahaya with him. He grabbed onto Kazahaya's arms roughly, taking care not to hurt him. "What's the matter?"

"No… Stop that! It's not true!"

Kazahaya was looking past him again. "Kazahaya?"

"I don't believe you!"

"Kazahaya!"

"Please…! Stop it!"

"KAZAHAYA!"

Kazahaya registered him then and stared at him in complete shock. "Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it."

He was chanting it, as though it were some kind of spell. Rikuo shook Kazahaya roughly in hopes of snapping him out of it. "Kazahaya!" His heart was pounding again and his adrenaline was pumping.

"Why won't you leave me alone?" Kazahaya asked him, trying to pull away from Rikuo violently. "Why are you always coming after me? Wasn't Hirotsuzu enough!?"

Kazahaya wasn't seeing Rikuo, he was seeing whoever it was that haunted his dreams in Rikuo, and when he realized this it not only frightened him, but made his heart hurt. He held him until Kazahaya suddenly went limp, collapsing against Rica's chest, his eyes glazed over. Rikuo would have panicked if he hadn't have recognized that Kazahaya was experiencing another memory. He held Kazahaya closed to him and prayed that it wasn't something that would hurt him, feeling helpless, and most of all angry. Because when Kazahaya went into the memories, Rikuo couldn't protect him.

* * *

_Mr. Cain strode up to Phee's house, the ring missing from his finger, and covered in blood. When he stepped inside the small bell ringed above the door. Phee was sitting at her table, looking much younger then when Kazahaya had first saw her, and she looked grimly over at Mr. Cain as he approached her._

"_You killed her."_

"_Yes." Mr. Cain took a seat and looked at her. "Now… Can you call this fucking ring off!?"_

"_Patience is a virtue." Phee replied with a malicious grin. "Besides, this is your punishment."_

_Mr. Cain grabbed at his ears. "It keeps calling to me! I put it on the girls finger just as you said after I bathed the ring in blood, but it still calls to me!" He looked at her desperately. "Don't you think that's punishment enough?"_

"_No… You have one more soul to kill. Remember, the blood of a virgin and the blood of a forbidden lover breaks the curse."_

_Mr. Cain let out a cry and stood up from the table._

"_Better work fast… or the ring will kill you."_

_Mr. Cain ran from the store, looking utterly heart broken, and Phee stood with that evil grin still plastered on her face. "It won't matter how hard you work, it still needs blood from the carrier. You were destined to die, Mr. Cain, by the one who sent you that ring."_


	6. Chapter 6

Story Title: BRoKen ORaNGeS

Chapter Title: Chapter Six Hirotsuzu Part One

Rating: PG-13

Pages: 11

Words: 4, 441

Characters (With Spaces): 24, 718

Paragraphs: 143

Lines: 498

Disclaimer: I do not own Legal Drug or any other related characters.

Constructive criticism is welcomed, but nobody likes a flamer. So, please R&R, and read at your own risk.

* * *

Kazahaya awoke slowly, his head aching. It was warm and musty, and for a minute it scared him for he was reminded of a dream he had had a while ago; a nightmare rather He calmed down when he realized that he was in Rikuo's arms, which was probably why his memory had floated into a dreamless void instead of the plaque of nightmares that usually hit him at night.

He felt the comforting warmth spreading throughout his body and smiled at Rikuo's peacefully sleeping face. He snuggled closer to the bear that was holding him and sighed happily. His moving caused Rikuo's arms to tingle, for they had fallen asleep from holding Kazahaya all night, and he moved uncomfortably. Kazahaya let Rikuo remove his arms reluctantly as he woke up.

Rikuo sat up stretching and rubbing at his arms as they pricked him painfully. Kazahaya smiled at him. "Thank you…" He said quietly.

Rikuo turned to Kazahaya and matched his smile. "No problem."

Kazahaya leaned toward him and planted a timid kiss on Rikuo's cheek. It was a soft feathery touch of his lips, but it still made Rikuo turn toward him in surprise. His face was emotionless of course, but his eyes told Kazahaya everything.

Rikuo touched Kazahaya's face gently and leaned in toward it curiously, last night's reaction from Kazahaya still floating somewhere in his memory, he wondered if today he could get away with it without Kazahaya freaking out. Kazahaya let him, his eye lids falling until they were half-lidded and his amber eyes glazing over. It was then that the sound of pounding footsteps came down the stairs, causing Kazahaya to pull away from Rikuo sharply. Rikuo sighed as James turned the corner. How did he know it was going to be him?

"Breakfast is ready." James told them with a smile.

The mention of food had Kazahaya out of bed in no time. James grinned and lead Kazahaya back upstairs, leaving Rikuo to himself. He couldn't decide if James was the bad guy or the good guy. He had that gleam in his eye whenever Kazahaya approached, leaving Rikuo to believe he liked what he saw and would take it by force if he had to. However, he also cared and looked concerned over their predicament, and was trying to help in any way he possible could. He constantly kept Rikuo on edge, but was it more of a protective instinct or was it really the fact that he was jealous?

Rikuo sighed and ran a hand through his hair before getting out of bed. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to dwell on it. What was more important was Kazahaya's safety, and his sanity. He had to help Kazahaya lift the curse, or he would have to suffer losing someone he cared about again.

He stepped into the kitchen, finding James and Kazahaya laughing and play fighting over something that closely resembled an orange. Luna had her back to him, and turned when he entered the room, a smile spreading over her face. She walked over and touched his elbow gently.

"Come on, I'll show you the books."

Without hesitation he followed Luna out of the room, his thoughts leaving breakfast out on the patio. She pulled him along upstairs and then into a room, one filled to the rim with books and the other barren except for a desk and a lamp. The room had no decorations and no windows, and smelled a little strange.

Rikuo followed Luna inside. "These are the books that I thought would be most useful to you," she said, directing him toward the stack of books. She turned and smiled at him softly. "I will be back with your breakfast, and as soon as the others are done I'll send them up." She headed out of the room and closed the door behind her with a loud click, leaving Rikuo to begin researching.

He turned on the light, feeling a little annoyed that he was doing this by himself, before picking up the first book he saw, labeled _Sun and Moon: Curses of Light and Darkness, _and sitting on the floor. He looked in the table of contents until he found _Curses of Objects_, flipped to the page, and got lost in the elaborate explanation of curses and the general rules of breaking them.

Luna re-entered the kitchen only to find James still play fighting with Kazahaya. He had stolen Kazahaya's orange which he had peeled by himself without any problems, and was now holding it out of Kazahaya's reach.

"Give it back…!" Kazahaya whined, standing on his tip toes to get it from him.

Luna sighed. "Why do you always pick on the ones you like?"

Distracted, James turned toward Luna with a curious glance, and Kazahaya jumped managing to grab the orange out of James' grasp. He lost his balance as he did so and fell foreword and on top of James, sending the two crashing to the floor.

"So an excuse to get intimate then?" Luna asked as she cocked an eyebrow at the bashful Kazahaya who was straddling a smug looking James. She turned to the counter and grabbed the tray covered with Rikuo's breakfast that had been set prior to leading him into her study room.

"Whaddya talking about sis?"

"You shouldn't touch another mans property." Luna scolded.

Kazahaya sensed some tension in the air. He coughed awkwardly and moved to stand, only to have James wrap an arm around his waist and hold him there. James looked toward his sister with a smirk as he sat up, pulling Kazahaya's dumbfounded and blushing face toward his.

"Jealous?" James asked in a sing-song voice.

"Uh… James… This is…"

Luna smiled but her eyes were seething. "Not at all," she said with the smile, but her fuming aura suggested otherwise.

James laughed at her. "I should have known better."

James released Kazahaya and he was finally able to stand up and get out of the awkward situation. He stood and brushed off his clothes, and then returned to his seat at the table in order to continue eating breakfast. James stood up after and mimicked him.

"Today I want to take Kudo-kun out to Lake Umi-Dori," James informed. He turned to Kazahaya. "Do you want to go?"

Kazahaya stopped munching on his orange piece and looked at James thoughtfully. He wanted to say yes, but he was reminded of a conversation he had had Rikuo earlier. Rikuo didn't trust James, and therefore Kazahaya had promised to be careful around him. He resumed chewing on his orange slice and swallowed before answering him.

"Can Rikuo come too?"

James looked taken-aback. "Himura-san? Are you sure he'll appreciate the beautiful scenery?"

Kazahaya looked down at the table. James was right. Rikuo wouldn't appreciate it. He sighed and his whole body seemed to slump at the table. "Yeah… I guess…"

James grinned. "Good! I can't wait to show you!" He stood up and nearly pulled Kazahaya out of seat so hard that he nearly fell over. "Let's go now!"

"What about-"

James shushed him and pulled him out of the kitchen. Luna watched James leave with Kazahaya out the door with a glare that could kill. How dare James take Kazahaya out of house while Rikuo sat alone upstairs, trying to break a foreign curse.

She looked toward the stairs with a sympathetic look. 'I'm afraid this curse is going to take yet another loved one from you, dear Rikuo,' she thought before settling the tray in her arms and heading up the stairs to where Rikuo sat.

* * *

Kazahaya had withdrawn into himself through most of the journey, feeling wary. He wasn't sure of why, but for some reason the forest looked dark and gloomy, and even the clearing, with muddy banks and a lake of a muddy color looked depressing. The trees reached so high up that they blocked the sun from getting through. The water looked dirty and untouchable, and the ground to the left looked almost charred, small green plants and trees growing back in, like there had been fire. The plants were desperately struggling, but from what Kazahaya could tell, they were dying without the sunlight, and most of them had already gone.

James looked toward him, for the first time his face grim. "This is Umi-dori; the lake which suffered a large forest fire caused by some sort of mischief about witches."

Kazahaya looked stunned. "Witches?"

"… Three girls were trying to conduct a love spell in the woods despite that fact that witchcraft was illegal. A group of men spotted them, tied them up, raped them, and then set them on fire." James turned to Kazahaya's shocked face. "One of the mothers of those three girls, who also happened to be a witch, found the ring of one of the men who killed her daughter and cursed it… He was sent to kill all the men responsible for their deaths, and then to kill himself."

Kazahaya looked down at the ring on his finger, horror reflecting in his eyes. "This is where they…?" James nodded his head and Kazahaya's eyes widened. "Why…?"

"They were different." James answered. "Like you."

Kazahaya turned away from him and toward the lake a sorrow look crossing his face and his hair hiding his eyes. Kazahaya really didn't need this right now and he wished that he had stayed home with Rikuo instead. "Why did you show me this?" Kazahaya asked quietly. It didn't have an icy bite to it, but James imagined there was one.

"Because… Luna was one of those girls."

Kazahaya turned his gaze back to James with widened eyes. "What?! Luna is already--?"

James held a sad twinge in his eye as he stared out over the lake and the look made Kazahaya's voice die in his throat. The look kind of looked familiar, and for some reason it reminded him of Kei and how she would ask him to never abandon her or of Rikuo's gaze whenever Saiga told him he had no leads.

"She was the only witch out of my family. She took after her mum, while Mikan, Jess, and I had taken after our father, Mr. Cain."

"So… Her father…?" James looked back at him and the look he gave Kazahaya made his heart break. He swallowed hard, trying to push back a lump in his throat.

James paused for a long while before answering. "Yes…"

They stood silently for a moment, looking at the lake, before James spoke up again. "She's never forgiven her father, and she doesn't regret killing him. But I think she regrets having others innocents die at the hand of that ring."

Kazahaya stared out into the muddy water, watching a small water skimmer run around in circles on its surface. "So… Was Hirostuzu--?"

"My mom?" James finished. Kazahaya nodded and James glanced away again. "Yes. And she was also the one who cast that curse."

Kazahaya looked up at James sadly. "I'm sorry… James…" The blonde reached up and touched James' cheek softly and James looked up at him. Amber eyes met green and James couldn't help but feel grateful to Kazahaya for showing him such concern and compassion. He laid his hand on top of Kazahaya's and smiled as if to say 'don't worry, I'm alright.'

Kazahaya smiled in return before grimacing and pulling his hand back sharply, a sudden jolt of pain in his head forcing him to grab at his ears and bite his lip to keep from crying out, and leaving James only to blink in surprise.

"Kudo-kun…?" James asked.

A pain shot through his whole body, radiating from the ring and spreading out like a virus. Kazahaya fell to his knees and clutched his wrist tightly as it pulsed with pain. He curled into a ball and screamed.

"Kudo-kun!" James shouted, running toward him. He crouched down and placed a hand on him, only to jerk it back violently. Kazahaya's skin was so hot it nearly burned him to touch the blonde. "What's the matter?!"

"Ri… kuo…" Kazahaya stuttered out between painful gasps and shouts. He looked at James with foggy eyes that were slowly turning black.

James panicked, unsure of what he should do, and was greatly relieved when Kazahaya started to relax and his shouts of pain started to die off. James reached out and touched Kazahaya gently. "Are you alright?"

"Rikuo… It hurts…" Kazahaya whispered. He looked feverish and had a foggy look in his eyes.

James rested the back of his hand to Kazahaya's forehead and flinched at how hot it was. "You must by at least 103!"

Kazahaya tried to pull himself up and groaned painfully before falling again. James reacted quickly and reached out to catch him. "You shouldn't be trying to get up!"

"But… Rikuo…" Kazahaya muttered, halfway into an unconscious daze. James sighed at this and picked Kazahaya up, letting the blonde rest his head on his shoulder.

"Hang on Kudo-kun. I'll get you home." He whispered soothingly. He adjusted Kazahaya's weight in his arms before hastily heading into the forest and back towards Luna's house.

But no matter how fast he was he couldn't seem to go fast enough. He had only made it a few minutes away from the clearing when Kazahaya groaned and tensed again. James was forced to stop and rest him against a tree, looking him over with concern. Kazahaya's breathing had gotten shallow and sweat was dripping of his forehead and cheeks; flushed a deep pink.

He was in really bad shape. James headed back toward Umi-dori and ripped off his sleeve and soaked it. When he returned with it Kazahaya was muttering about blood and Rikuo, and it occurred to James that he was probably delirious. James wiped off Kazahaya's face, cheeks, and neck, before placing the sleeve on Kazahaya's forehead in an attempt to cool him off.

"Forgive me." James said as he ripped Kazahaya's shirt in two halves. It was a desperate attempt to keep Kazahaya cool, and he would have removed his pants as well if something hadn't have caught his eye. The ring had turned black, and small black vein like protrusions were making its way from the ring and up Kazahaya's arm.

James realized with dread that the curse was starting to take affect and with jerky movements screaming with panic, he lifted Kazahaya off the ground, and started toward Luna's house with the adrenaline in his veins making him go faster then he ever thought he could. He just had to get home! _He had to!_

* * *

Luna entered the room and leaned against the door frame, finding it terribly amusing that Rikuo was still engrossed in the book in his lap. She smiled kindly and approached him. "Hello, Himura-san."

Rikuo looked up. "Thank you for bringing me my breakfast."

"No problem." Luna placed the tray in front of him and took a seat on the floor as well. "Did you find anything useful?"

Rikuo sighed and shut the book. "No… Nothing."

Luna looked sympathetic. "Oh… I wish I could have done more to help you."

Rikuo picked up a piece of toast and chewed on it silently. It was then that it hit him just how silent the house was. Luna sat in front of him and picked up the book and began to flipping through the pages, before sighing, shutting the book again, and reaching for a new book.

Rikuo took another bite of his toast. "Where's Kazahaya?"

"With James," Luna responded bluntly, flipping through the book.

Rikuo blanched and dropped his toast. "What?!"

"Don't worry. They're fine. They just went to the lake."

Rikuo growled inwardly. Hadn't he told Kazahaya to be careful around James!? He sighed and ran a hand down his face. What was he going to do with that idiot?

It was at that moment something downstairs made a large bang and James' voice echoed up the stairs. It sounded desperate and frantic, and Luna and Rikuo glanced at each other with concern and jumped to their feet. Rikuo rushed down the stairs with Luna just two steps behind him.

James had held a convulsing and unconscious Kazahaya in his arms, and James looked distraught. Rikuo knew something was wrong as James headed for the couch and lay Kazahaya on it. It scared him, more then he could ever say anything had scared him before, to see Kazahaya shaking and sweating, flushed a deep pink, and some sort of black vein like lines traveling slowly up Kazahaya's arm. They had reached his elbow.

"Kazahaya!" Rikuo shouted, running to kneel beside him. He touched his face gently and Kazahaya moaned quietly. Kazahaya was hot, too hot. Almost hot enough to need hospital treatment.

Kazahaya's eyes fluttered and glassy eyes met gray ones. "Rikuo…" It was a hoarse whisper, and after the word left Kazahaya's lips the blond shuddered as if a cold draft was in the room.

Rikuo carefully pulled him up and rested him in his lap as he sat down. Kazahaya coughed violently before laying against him, looking spent and panting heavily. A small trail of blood traveled out of the corner of his mouth and down his chin.

Luna stood with a hard glare in her eye. "I'm going to go get Phee. Make sure he stays awake." Without hesitating she turned on her heel and headed out of the house, a determined look in her icy eyes.

James ran for the fridge and took out a bag of frozen peas. He covered them with a dish towel and headed back toward the couch. He offered the bag to Rikuo, and Rikuo placed it against Kazahaya's forehead. It may not have been the fastest or best way to cool him down, but at least it was something, for what else could they do?

* * *

Kazahaya calmed down after a long while, quietly shivering and resting. His body cooled when the sun set and Rikuo continued to hold him closely. James sat in the kitchen, idly playing with the recently thawed bag of peas. The room was eerily silent except for Kazahaya's raspy, yet even, breathing.

Rikuo rested Kazahaya's head on his lap and found him self caressing the blonde's hair gently. He had never thought he could feel so much fear before in his life, and never before had he seen Kazahaya in such a bad state. The fear had left his body when Kazahaya began to get better, however the black veins had reached Kazahaya's shoulder, and an unsettling queasiness settled itself in the pit of Rikuo's stomach as he continued to worry over his partner.

Kazahaya moaned quietly and winced, and Rikuo ceased touching his hair in hopes that Kazahaya was waking up. The blonde's eyes fluttered open revealing hazy black eyes staring back at him, before closing again. Rikuo let out a depressed sigh as Kazahaya turned his head away.

"Kazahaya…" Rikuo muttered under his breath. "I wish I knew how to help you."

James looked over to him when he heard this. "I'm sorry…"

Rikuo glanced toward him curiously as James stood up. James threw the thawed bag into the sink and headed for the living room where Rikuo and Kazahaya were sitting. "I shouldn't have brought him to that lake."

"It doesn't matter. Even if you hadn't have brought him there it wouldn't have changed anything."

James sighed. "When he was first hit with the curse's clutches, he asked for you. When it hurt the most he called out for you, Rikuo. I felt bad because you weren't there and because I couldn't comfort him the way you could."

Rikuo looked genuinely surprised, which was hard to get since it took a lot to surprise the dark teen. He looked down at Kazahaya and his expression turned to guilt. "He wanted protection and I wasn't there to offer it to him."

James looked at Rikuo with sorrow in his eyes. "You two are made for each other." He leaned against the door frame. "It's depressing that he's going to be taken away from you by some stupid ring."

For some reason what James said made Rikuo feel strangely defiant. He wasn't going to loose Kazahaya, and it certainly wasn't going to be to some stupid ring either. He just wouldn't allow that. And even if he had to pry Kazahaya's destiny from the thread of fate himself, he was going to save him.

"Get a first-aid kit." Rikuo ordered. James, looking curious, complied as Rikuo sat up and lay Kazahaya back on the couch carefully. He spread Kazahaya's fingers out and separated the one with the ring. James returned and handed him the first-aid kit and Rikuo opened it, taking out some of the bandages inside it.

Rikuo then took some scissors and cut a long strip out of his shirt. "Go get me something extremely sharp."

James did as he was told uneasily and disappeared into the kitchen. Some drawers were heard scrapping before his footfalls were thudding back toward them. He held a butchers knife in his hand. Rikuo shook his head, suggesting that it would do for what ever he had planned.

"Listen, I'm going to break the ring, but I'm afraid it will break his finger as well. His finger may become unsalvageable, and if that happens than I want you to cut it off."

James paled. "W-what?!"

"I can't afford you to be squeamish or anything, so just do it and make sure you don't mess up."

James looked at Rikuo's hard gaze and realized that the teen wasn't joking. He was really going to break the boys finger! "Why…?"

"When I use my power, his finger will no longer be salvageable, and when you cut it off I'll apply some pressure while you call the nearest hospital."

James looked like he was going to be sick. "I… This… How…?"

Rikuo growled. "Kazahaya doesn't have time for second thoughts!" He shouted, grabbing for the knife. James backed up and Rikuo followed him, succeeding in grabbing the sharp edge and ripping it out of James' grasp, cutting himself in the process. Blood traveled down his fingers, rested at the tip, and fell into a puddle on the floor.

James let out a gasp. "Himura-san!" He stared at Rikuo's bleeding hand as though it were something he had never scene before and it scared him.

Rikuo 'hmphed' and turned around to head back toward Kazahaya, only to stop dead in his tracks. Kazahaya was standing, his eyes pitch black and glazed. He was staring at Rikuo in betrayal, and the veins were now crossing his collar bone and heading for his neck, and had started to spread downward toward his waist.

"Rikuo?" Kazahaya asked, but his voice was so distant and sounded hazy. His eyes looked cold and devoid of the small flame of life which usually illuminated the blonde teenaged feline of a boy.

Rikuo dropped the knife, sighing in relief. "You're all right!"

Kazahaya's eyes fell on James and his face twisted in anger, but not the anger that was Kazahaya. It was like another essence was using his body as a vessel to vent, the black eyes filling with blood lust and intent on murdering the orchard owner. "How could you?!"

This took Rikuo by surprise. He turned and looked toward James, who was staring at Kazahaya as though the blonde had gone insane. "Huh? But Kudo-kun, I didn't--"

"How could you let him rape me like that?! How could you let him **kill **me like that?!"

James looked confused. "What are you talking about, Kudo-kun?"

Kazahaya had started crying, the tears streaming down his face, standing out against his still slightly flushed from fever face. "You let him kill me! When I all I wanted was to love you!" Kazahaya ran foreword and grabbed onto the front of James' shirt roughly as he buried his face into James' chest. "Is that so bad…? Is it really forbidden for us to love? Why? Why James, why?"

James stood dumbfounded as Kazahaya cried into his chest, and Rikuo stood in shock. Neither could exactly comprehend what had happened. James felt awkward and was glad when Kazahaya realized James was not going to comfort him and calmed down enough to look up at James with his black eyes, and James tried to show Rikuo that this meant nothing by smiling nervously underneath the darker teens death glare.

"Don't you love me anymore?" Kazahaya asked James, looking up at him desperately, his hand still clenched in James' shirt.

James touched the side of Kazahaya's face gently and gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry, but I love someone else."

Kazahaya's eyes widened before his expression hardened into a murderous glare and his hand slowly unclenched the fabric of James' shirt. James regretted saying what he did when Kazahaya backed away and bent down to pick up the butcher knife. "If I can't have you, no one can."

Suddenly Kazahaya attacked James, pouncing on him like a cat and landing on him heavily. They landed with a thud and Rikuo, jerked out of his surprise by James' sudden yelp reacted quickly, shouting out Kazahaya's name as he rushed foreword. Kazahaya lifted the knife and was about to bring it down when Rikuo grabbed his wrist and pulled him back sharply, making Kazahaya land on the ground roughly with the wind knocked out of him.

"What the hell is wrong with you, idiot!?" Rikuo growled out. Kazahaya snarled at him and went to get up again, and Rikuo grabbed both his wrists and manhandled him into submission on the floor, straddling his waist. "Snap out of it!"

Kazahaya's body tensed and he arched his back, screaming in pain as the ring started to burn into his skin again. Tears resumed in spreading down his cheeks. "Make… it stop… Rikuo… make it… stop…!" Kazahaya thrashed back and forth violently as the pain continued to spread, along with the black veins which were nearly covering half of his body by now.

Rikuo fought against him, managing to keep Kazahaya from hurting himself if he were to thrash around too violently. Suddenly Kazahaya began to choke and gag, as though he was beginning to be strangled, his back arching to the point that his head was bent so far back that Rikuo could only see his chin, before his whole body relaxed suddenly.

"Kazahaya…?" Rikuo asked cautiously.

"Kudo-kun…?" James inquired as Rikuo let go of Kazahaya's wrists cautiously and leaned back.

Kazahaya made a choking sound and blood pushed forth and came out the side of his mouth, trailing down his now pale cheeks and staining it and the floor underneath him.

Rikuo felt himself filling with fear again. "Kazahaya? Are you--" Rikuo pulled Kazahaya's head down to look and with horror it occurred to him that the veins had reached his face and was spreading out toward his eye, and that Kazahaya _was no longer breathing!_

"KAZAHAYA!"


	7. Chapter 7

Story Title: BRoKen ORaNGeS

Chapter Title: Chapter Seven Hirotsuzu Part Two

Rating: PG-13

Pages: 10

Words: 4, 616

Characters (With Spaces): 25, 611

Paragraphs: 170

Lines: 550

Disclaimer: I do not own Legal Drug or any other related characters.

Constructive criticism is welcomed, but nobody likes a flamer. So, please R&R, and read at your own risk.

I'm not too proud of this chapter, but you know what, I wanted to end it on a rather un-depressing note, just so I could have these characters come up in some of the sequels. (Yes, there is going to be a couple sequels!!) There is one last chapter after this and then I can move on to the sequel! Oh yeah, w00t (there it is)!

* * *

"KAZAHAYA!"

Rikuo shook him, trying desperately to get a response from the blonde. "Breathe!" Rikuo shouted, surprising both himself and James when his voice broke.

James stood, unsure of what he should do, while Rikuo paused to recollect his head. Despite his heart that was pounding against his chest violently and threatening to explode, Rikuo found enough sense to press his fingers to Kazahaya's neck in order to feel a pulse. A wave of relief washed through him when he found it however he knew that it wouldn't last long if Kazahaya didn't start breathing soon.

Rikuo pinched Kazahaya's nose and tilted his head up slightly, before leaning over him and pressing their lips together. He blew into Kazahaya's mouth, lifted his head in order to take another breath, and then repeated the process. James watched anxiously as Rikuo did so, feeling lost, confused, and most of all frightened.

Suddenly Kazahaya gasped and choked on the air he was so desperately trying to breathe, before relaxing, his breathing heavy. Rikuo wanted to cry with relief and pulled Kazahaya into a fierce hug, and James let out a happy cry.

"Kudo-kun! You're all right!"

Kazahaya was shaking badly and felt weak, only able to raise his hands and clutch Rikuo's shirt gently. Rikuo noticed that his temperature had dropped and that his arms had goose-bumps, not to mention the veins looked like they had started to travel underneath his pants. Who knew how far along they were on his body now.

"Don't you dare do that again," Rikuo whispered into Kazahaya's ear. "Stay with me, alright? I want you stay with me."

Kazahaya shivered violently as Rikuo's breath danced against his ear, but from an entirely different reason then being cold. "Alright," he whispered back, his voice soft and hard to make out.

James watched as Rikuo hugged Kazahaya tighter to him, and he began to worry again. Kazahaya was pale, his lips were blue, and his eyes were still black. Not to mention the veins had spread around his neck and to the other side of his cheek. The curse was working faster, and they had to stop it now.

"Rikuo…" He said quietly, picking up the butchers knife. Rikuo glanced toward him and James could tell that Rikuo knew what he was thinking.

Kazahaya did too, for he somehow managed to force himself to clutch tighter. "Rikuo… don't…"

Rikuo began to move the hand on Kazahaya's back in comforting circles. "I promise I won't hurt you."

"It… won't help… She wants me to… avenge her."

Rikuo was confused. "Who?" He encouraged.

"O… Odina…"

"Odina?" James and Rikuo asked in unison. James paled and recognition crossed his face, making Rikuo glare at him. "Tell me who she is." Before he could answer Kazahaya started talking again.

"She wants my body so…" Kazahaya continued, ignoring the conversation James and Rikuo were having. He took a ragged breath. Was it just Rikuo's imagination that it sounded painful? "She can kill the man responsible--" Kazahaya managed to pull away from Rikuo and look up at James with a weak yet hard set glare with his tired, half-lidded, eyes. "--James."

James looked surprised. "What? But it was my father that--"

"She said that… you were the one…" Kazahaya suddenly took a sharp intake of breath and swooned, causing Rikuo to momentarily panic. Kazahaya settled himself again and Rikuo relaxed, though the queasiness of worry still lingered in his lower abdomen.

James looked confused and terribly frightened. "So all this time she was after me? All those people who died innocently via this ring, died because she was after me!?"

"Yes…" Kazahaya answered breathlessly.

"But it doesn't make sense! Odina's mother was only supposed to curse my father! That's the only reason why he went insane and murdered my step-mom. Why is it that she still continues to go after me when her death is already avenged?"

"She… loved you…" Kazahaya answered.

"So she wants to kill me!?"

Kazahaya shook his head slowly, and it looked as though he was crying. "N-no… she just wants… to rest in peace…" He looked up at James with desperation. "Help her… it's awful for her to… be tied down… by anger…"

"To rest in peace…"

Rikuo smiled at Kazahaya softly. "I promise that we'll do that."

Kazahaya smiled at Rikuo gratefully before suddenly collapsing against him. James panicked for a minute, before he realized that Rikuo was still holding him calmly and that Kazahaya was still breathing in that ragged and heavy manner. Kazahaya was out cold, and it looked like it pained him to breathe. Rikuo picked him up and placed him on the couch, covering the blonde in a blanket.

"You have to stay and watch Kazahaya until Phantasia and Luna get back," Rikuo said, standing slowly and turning toward James. "Tell me where her body is."

* * *

It had to be the most disgusting place in the world, and it smelled heavily of death, enough so that even though the wind was blowing in the opposite direction from the tiny cabin, it made him gag. The cabin itself was old and moldy the wood covered in algae and probably old enough that if touched would crumble. It belonged to the mother witch and no one had lived in it for years, suggesting that it was safe to break into.

Rikuo held his breath and crossed the bridge that lead to the small island cabin. It rested on top of the lake umi-dori, somewhere deep into the woods, a little ways off the old beaten path in the woods. Concentrating on the lock, he gathered energy and let it go in an abrupt explosion, breaking the lock effortlessly. The door immediately swung open with a slow creaking sound.

The smell was even stronger in here and he coughed violently. It was extremely overwhelming, so much so that he thought that he could now taste it, whatever **it **was. Rikuo ripped off a piece of his shirt and covered his mouth and nose, desperately trying to create a filter, before steeling his resolve and heading inside the building. As expected it wasn't much, just an old cabin filled with a table, chair, rocking-chair, fire-place, cauldron, etc. It had a couple doors, and Rikuo guessed one lead to a bedroom and the other probably downstairs for the ice box. The bathroom was probably outside somewhere.

Rikuo glanced around, looking for the small book that James had described to him, something the mother had owned. Inside it was a piece of paper that told of the location of every one of the girls killed and who they were killed by. He headed over for one of the desks and looked under the papers there, trying not to move to much of them in case he disturbed the dead that lived here (James had explained that a lot of restless souls haunted the house, which is why no one lived there). He looked through the cupboards until he found a small black book labeled Journal.

He pulled it out and opened it, and sure enough there was a piece of paper in it. He grabbed it as it fell out of the book and placed the journal under his arm to look at it. It listed four names; Mysti Nova, Anika Ula, Tabitha Rhea, and Mika Frasier. All of them had been killed by a group of two men, Mr. Cain and Mr. Jasper Fabian.

As Rikuo read further he realized the paper was probably something the mother had researched, and it sounded like a police investigation report. Mr. Cain was a man with opportunities, earning a PhD in Kyoto. He became as phenomenologist, earned tons of money for his work, and then retired and moved to Hyoga. Here he helped the community by donating money to the museum and built an orchard where the kids could go in the summer and get free oranges. Jasper Fabian was a wanted man for multiple serial killings and the raping of thirty-three young woman. Not much was written about him.

Rikuo folded the paper again and opened the journal. He flipped through the pages, reading them occasionally. It was a record of Mr. Cain's condition as it worsened. Apparently everyone had thought he had gone insane, but those were just rumors. He had really only killed three people, Hirotsuzu, James' step mom, Odina Luna, his daughter, and himself.

Something suddenly came together in his mind as he stared at the written word _Odina Luna._ If what he was thinking was true, that meant Luna was already dead. But that didn't make sense… Rikuo noticed he had reached the end of the journal absent-mindedly and looked down at the signature in the last page. It read Phantasia Siddons, and with dawning realization it hit him full force. He had to get back to Kazahaya **now!**

Before he even had a chance to move pain exploded in the back of his head, making spots flash before his eyes. He fell to his knees, feeling the pulse of his own heart beat and tasting blood from where he bit his tongue in surprise. With regret he collapsed on to the ground, letting the darkness that ebbed at his vision to take over, his last thought of Kazahaya and how he hoped he was still okay.

* * *

Kazahaya opened his eyes, blinking away the blurriness that faded the colors in to one another. He felt a little better then before. His whole body ached and the ring on his finger was burning, but he could tell his fever had gone down because he was no longer sweating.

"Oh! You're awake!" James cried. "Are you alright?"

Kazahaya glanced at James, who was sitting beside the couch, and found that everything felt so heavy. He would have smiled if his face didn't feel so heavy. He would have answered him if his throat hadn't felt like it was blocked by something. His whole body was covered in the veins now, so he no longer hurt when they moved, and he felt this constant pressure on his mind, like something was trying to invade his senses but couldn't get in for some reason.

James sighed and brushed the hair off his forehead. "Guess not." James stood and wrapped something warm around Kazahaya. "Listen, I'm going to get you of here. I can't watch another innocent die… and you have to stay awake, okay?"

Kazahaya wasn't entirely sure what James was saying, his tired mind blurring some of the words, but he nodded despite himself. But before James could move to pick Kazahaya up the door opened and his whole body stiffened, he turned around and meet whoever it was who had come through the door with a deep glare.

Suddenly there was a loud bang that Kazahaya was sure had popped his ear drums. James ricocheted like something had hit him in the gut full force, before falling to his knees, clutching his bloody stomach with a hand. He winced and looked up at Luna, who was holding a silver pistol in her hands.

"L-Luna…" James muttered.

"That's for letting me die, James."

Kazahaya understood now. "James!" He managed to shout in worry. The adrenaline cursing through his veins gave him enough strength to roll his body off the couch and kneel beside him. He breathed heavily with the effort, but it wasn't as bad as before.

"James… are you alright?"

"Kudo-kun!" James smiled at him, though it was hard to do with the pain shooting up from his stomach. "I'm… alright."

"And you!" Luna cried. "You seem to be able to resist the ring like its nothing! How is that so? My own **mother **cast that curse! It was supposed to be unbreakable and irresistible. Who are you to defy her of that?"

James knew what was coming. "Run Kudo-kun!" He said, getting to his feet and charging Luna. He managed to grab the pistol and tilt it towards the ceiling as she pulled the trigger, causing it to blast a hole in the ceiling. Kazahaya stood dumbfounded as James fought with Luna, and only moved when James turned to him and growled out "run, run now!" Kazahaya got to his feet, the adrenaline pumping faster, and ran for the kitchen. He ran out through the door and into the woods, where he and James had gone to see lake Umi-dori together.

Luna growled and shoved James off of her, making him land in a collapsed heap on the floor. "Damn you James…" She mumbled, pointing the pistol at his head. James let out a surprised cry as she pulled the trigger, before falling backward, a hole in the center of his forehead and his eyes holding no sign of life. "You let him take me instead of you. You let **her** kill me…" Luna said, letting the pistol fall to her side. She hung her head for a letting her pain finally catch up with her.

"I love you." Luna whispered. She steeled herself and placed the guns barrel to her temple. "I'm coming with you." Tears streamed down her face as she whispered the words, but her hand was not shaking. She took her last deep breath, before pulling the trigger, her body falling lifeless to the floor, and the bang echoing throughout the house.

* * *

Rikuo awoke to the sound of dripping. He wasn't sure where he was, and felt even more disoriented when he opened his eyes and found the room pitch black. He stood up slowly, the ache in the back of his head protesting against the movement violently, but stood and found that the wall beside him was dripping wet and cold to the touch. He felt like he was in a dungeon, and it was even more enforced by the big cold metal thing wrapped around his leg which Rikuo guessed was a chain.

"Like my home made prison?" Phee asked him, and Rikuo growled at her.

"It's homey." He answered sarcastically, making Phee laugh.

Phee suddenly turned on the lights and Rikuo found that he was right and wrong. He was in a dungeon thing, but it was more of a basement, and there were no bars. It was an old musty cement wall basement with chains cemented inside and wrapped around Rikuo's legs. Rikuo realized he wasn't going anywhere any time soon, at least not with Phee watching him carefully as she walked down the stairs.

"You're lover has got a lot of spunk…" Phee told him absent mindedly. Rikuo growled and glared at her defiantly.

"What did you do to Kazahaya!?"

Phee looked taken aback by the intense glare on his face. "Nothing… He's actually on his way here." She smirked at him. "My, my, did I actually hit a nerve?"

"On his way here?"

"I'm sure your thinking 'who, what, where, when and why…?' Well, Odina showed him where this place was from one of her memories, he's coming to find you, he's pretty close right now, he'll show up any time now, because he loves you." Phee smiled at him knowingly.

As if on queue there was a loud bang of a door swinging open upstairs. Rikuo glared at Phee with as much anger as he could muster without actually breaking something.

"If I don't believe you?"

Phee laughed. "Oh, you'll believe me." She turned off from the stairs as the frantic foot-steps upstairs rounded toward the open basement door. To Rikuo's surprise it was Kazahaya who was coming down the stairs, and as much as he was happy to see him, he was also dreading the fact that Kazahaya was here and probably in even more danger then before.

"Rikuo!" Kazahaya cried, running to greet him. He latched himself on and hugged him tightly, his knees giving out from under him. Rikuo caught him and kneeled with him, wrapping his own arms around the blonde and incasing him in his strong arms.

"I heard it…" Kazahaya muttered between pants, tears streaming down his face. "I heard the gun go off."

"What?" Rikuo asked.

"James is dead."

Rikuo looked taken aback as Kazahaya curled in on him self and pressed closer to Rikuo. Rikuo tightened his hold on him, before looking up and glaring at Phee as she took a step towards them.

"It seems he is resistant to the curse. Guess that means I need to make it stronger."

"You'll never be able to get past Kazahaya's defenses." Rikuo growled out. "He's stronger then that."

"Oh, I know that," Phee smirked, "but he can only resist it for so long."

Rikuo looked down at Kazahaya and knew she was right. Kazahaya was covered in the black veins from head to foot, and his body was shaking all over. Every breath he took sounded painful and his eyes were losing focus. Rikuo leaned toward him and kissed Kazahaya's forehead gently, feeling the searing heat underneath his lips. "Stay strong," he whispered, and Kazahaya nodded softly.

"Like that will do anything." Phee scoffed. "The curse as already rooted itself into his whole body. It's only a matter of time before it gets his mind too."

"Why…?" Kazahaya asked suddenly. "Why did you do all this?"

Phee suddenly looked pained. "When your ridiculed for being a witch all your life, and then marry to someone who backstabs you and runs off with another woman after you've had four kids with them, and that same person rapes and murders everyone of those precious children, how could I not?"

"So… you used Hirotsuzu's children?"

"That bitch didn't deserve Marvin. And the children were perfect candidates to construct my revenge!"

"Then what do me and Rikuo have to do with it?"

This question took Phee by surprise. "You remind me of a love I could not have… and for that I wish you guys would just die."

Kazahaya looked surprised. "A love you couldn't have…?"

Rikuo decided he had had enough and gathering the energy in his mind he let it go in a large burst, breaking the chain on his leg. Phee let out an outraged cry as he stood up with Kazahaya, glaring at them as though they were vile demons.

"How **dare **you!" She cried. Without warning she pulled out a knife, the same looking one that Rikuo had cut himself on before, and charged the two. It left Rikuo no choice and he gathered energy as she approached, letting it explode near her hand, causing it to turn into a bloody pulp and slivers of bone. She cried out in pain and dropped the knife, clutching her stub close to her bosom and taking a step back. "W-what?"

Rikuo looked furious and took a step toward her. It scared Kazahaya to see him look so angry, so much so that he shied away from him. This managed to distract Rikuo and help him gain control over himself once more. He coaxed Kazahaya back to him and wrapped an arm around the blondes waist as he leaned against Rikuo.

"It's disgusting… to see such forbidden love in its most vile form."

Kazahaya gasped as something triggered his memory. _Bathed in the blood of a virgin, forbidden lover, and the carrier. _He knew how to break the curse! It had been there the whole time!

"The blood of a virgin, forbidden lover, and the carrier Rikuo!" Kazahaya said excitedly, turning toward Rikuo with a bright smile. To Rikuo's confused stare Kazahaya decided to elaborate. "That breaks the curse!"

Rikuo looked at him with an unreadable expression before turning toward Phee again. If he wanted to break the curse he first needed to get rid of Phee. He took a step toward Phee again, letting his arm slip away from Kazahaya, looking less angry then before. Phee took another step back and Kazahaya stood questioningly, looking at Rikuo with curious eyes.

"You're already dead aren't you?"

Both Phee and Kazahaya seemed surprised by this. "How did you figure it out?"

"He killed you too. That's why you have such a big grudge against love." Rikuo said matter-o-factly. "But you have to understand that all you've been doing is making people experience the same thing that you went through, instead of blessing them and hoping to keep what happened from happening.

"The anger keeps you from resting in peace. If you learn to forgive then you'll be able to let go of all this, and finally move on to the next realm."

Phee looked incredulous. "My revenge--"

"Has already been completed. Everyone you loved and hated is now dead, there is nothing on this plane worth anything to you anymore."

Phee stood an unreadable expression on her face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and then suddenly she was gone. Kazahaya gasped in surprise again. "Rikuo! How did you--?"

"She didn't bleed." Rikuo answered simply, turning back toward Kazahaya. He was right, the spot underneath where her crushed hand should have been, was spotless. A puddle of blood was supposed to be there, and it wasn't which surprised Kazahaya to see that Rikuo had even noticed that. Rikuo was more perceptive than he once thought.

Rikuo thought about what Kazahaya had said about breaking the curse. Kazahaya was a virgin and the carrier, so all they needed was the forbidden lover. The only way to make this work was to confess to Kazahaya and then some how mix their blood and bathe the ring in it. Rikuo spotted the knife that still glinted in the light on the floor and reached toward it. He picked it up and cut his other palm with it, making Kazahaya cry out with alarm. He stepped toward Kazahaya and grabbed him.

"Rikuo…! What are--?"

Rikuo silenced him by pressing his lips against Kazahaya's. Kazahaya returned it, wondering to himself what was Rikuo thinking. He retreated when he felt the knife slice over his own palm, sucking in his breath sharply and pulling away from Rikuo. Rikuo smiled at him and grabbed Kazahaya's bloody palm with his own, the Constriction Ring glinting off the light as he did so.

"I love you Kazahaya."

Kazahaya looked wasn't sure of how he should react, his eyes growing wide underneath Rikuo's intensifying stare. He searched Rikuo's eyes carefully, wondering if what he spoke was true, and what he found there made him smile softly.

Suddenly the ring gave a faint glow and Kazahaya cried out as the veins retracted back. Rikuo held him close as Kazahaya's whole body grew to dangerous territory in temperature, and even more so as his body began to convulse. It only took a few seconds for them to fully disappear and for the ring to drop off his finger, landing in the puddle of blood with a small _thump _and turning silver again. Kazahaya rested against Rikuo, breathing heavily, his body suddenly feeling a bit lighter.

Kazahaya breathed deeply in the scent of Rikuo and looked up at him again. He reached up and kissed Rikuo softly on the lips. "I love you too."


	8. Chapter 8

Story Title: BRoKen ORaNGeS

Chapter Title: Epilogue The End (is Only the Beginning)

Rating: PG-13

Pages: 3

Words: 1,590

Characters (With Spaces): 8, 860

Paragraphs: 61

Lines: 191

Disclaimer: I do not own Legal Drug or any other related characters.

Constructive criticism is welcomed, but nobody likes a flamer. So, please R&R, and read at your own risk.

* * *

Everything seemed to return to normal at the Green Drug store. Well semi-normal, maybe, especially since Rikuo nearly took Kakei's head off when they got back. He would have too, if Kazahaya hadn't have placed a hand on Rikuo's arm and shook his head gently. They handed over the constriction ring and Kakei wrapped it in some weird material before smiling at them and saying they had completed the mission satisfactorily and would both get paid 100

Then both Rikuo and Kazahaya fell back into the routine of taking turns doing chores and working. However, Kazahaya found more fun in his since Rikuo would hold him around the waist as he instructed him on how to cook in the morning, and Kazahaya studied his lovers beautiful face as he concentrated on the newspaper (though he was still not very pleased about the whole not saying grace thing), blushing when Rikuo caught him and smirked knowingly.

Saiga was still as vulgar as ever even though he knew that Kazahaya was now in a relationship. He would still grab Kazahaya or tease him in some way or another, making Rikuo either laugh or glare at him depending on the situation. Once Saiga found the lubricant Phee had given them in Kazahaya's bed side drawer, and both Kakei and Rikuo were surprised that he had still kept it, much to Kazahaya's horror of Saiga prancing and flaunting the small tube around the store.

And Phee was right about the tube, they were going to need it. But Kazahaya told Rikuo that he wasn't sure if he was ready yet, and Rikuo respected that (though it didn't stop him from making out with Kazahaya and ravishing him whenever he got the chance, and it usually ended up with Kakei catching them in the back room or Saiga happened to be 'just passing by').

Everything about the ring and side jobs seemed to be forgotten, until Kakei called them into his office about two weeks after the two had returned. He was smiling at them kindly, though there was something fishy behind it that Rikuo did not like.

"Ready for another side-job? I had put it aside for weeks but the client is really persistent." That explained why they had been given two weeks of peace.

Kazahaya looked hesitant. "It's not going to threaten my life is it?" This surprised Rikuo. Maybe the blonde was getting smarter?

Kakei grinned. "Of course not!"

Kazahaya smiled. "All right! I'll do it!" Maybe not.

Rikuo wanted to smack him. Kazahaya was way to trusting for his own good, and that was going to get him into trouble. He sighed and Kazahaya looked up at him questioningly.

"It's another far away job. You're going to the Ouran School down in Chocho as transfer students. You're to get a red mulberry from a cultivar that only germinates white ones. You have a week to do it, so I suggest you hurry along."

Kazahaya looked incredulous. "Another job in a school?"

Kakei smiled. "Yes. And I have your uniforms already packed upstairs. You can take off early in order to catch the train."

Rikuo and Kazahaya agreed and headed upstairs where their rooms were located. Sure enough, there were packs on the bed, one for each of them, and train tickets already set up. Rikuo sighed and grabbed his and Kazahaya followed his example. As they went back down the stairs Kakei waved to them and wished them luck from the front door of the Green Drug Store.

Kazahaya reached for Rikuo's hand and Rikuo smiled at him as he did so. Kazahaya may be an idiot, but he was an adorable idiot. One that Rikuo wouldn't trade for anything else. He took Kazahaya's hand, surprising the blonde and intertwined their fingers.

If this was the end, at least they were heading off toward it together.

* * *

There… the end. Phew… I think this is the second story of my life that I have actually completed out of like six! Ha ha!

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it, from the fun beginning to the corny ending. Don't patronize me about it… I couldn't come up with anything better.

Anyways, the story's plot kind of got switched around between three different movies. _The Skeleton Key _was one of them. The other two were low budget films which I don't even remember the names of, though most of the main characters were hot. (dreamily sighs)

Since I wanted each chapter to be around eleven pages, this one is probably more of an epilogue, and since I have a few pages to spare I decided to put in some teasers from the sequel.

Teaser #1

Kazahaya didn't know how long he could take this; another stupid job in a school, another private school full of boys, and another crazy scheme to put Kazahaya in a dress. Though it wasn't abnormal, all the girly boys in the school were doing it. He was just pondering why he had to do it as well. Not to mention Rikuou was probably having a blast watching him struggle with the dress, even if he was in a different classroom at the moment.

Kazahaya shifted uneasily in his seat, trying his best to hide himself underneath the impossibly short skirt. It was embarrassing beyond belief! The bell rang suddenly, making Kazahaya jump, and with his cheeks flushed he gathered his books and quickly headed for the door, trying desperately not to meet anyone's eye or bump into anyone who was a chatterbox.

Teaser #2

Eisei didn't even blink. "Do you know the story about the mulberry bush?"

"No."

Eisei smiled, an eerie smile which sent goose-bumps up all the arms of the people sitting at the table. "Well, you will know soon enough."

Same turned pale. "S-so… how do you turn a white berry red?"

"Passion," Eisei answered bluntly.

"Passion?!" The whole table echoed.

"What kind of passion?" Aoikosei asked.

"Like the deflowering of a virgin?" Same asked, obviously thinking vulgar thoughts. Kazahaya wanted to rip the smirk off his face; it reminded him so much of Rikuou. Eisei nodded her head to Same's question and returned to his book.

Aoikosei grinned and laughed. "Count me out." Same said the same thing, and Zakuro grunted with agreement. Suddenly all eyes were on Kazahaya, and he turned a deep shade of red. He knew what everyone of them was thinking, and he knew that with Zakuro reading his mind that there would be no doubt across the table that he was a virgin. This made him turn scarlet and he hung his head in shame.

Teaser #3

Rikuou turned to Kazahaya again. "Meet me tonight at the mulberry bush down front, okay?"

Kazahaya noticed the look of business behind Rikuou's eyes and nodded. "What time?"

"Nine."

The two other boys made hooting sounds and looked really excited now as Rikuou sat back at the table, giving him pats on the back and words of congrats. The last time that had happened Kazahaya had turned into a bride and had rumors spread all over the school, and though the rumors would be half truths, he felt a certain dread enter his being as he walked back toward his table.

All right… hope to see you guys in the sequel. Bye-bye (for now).


End file.
